'Big relief': Thackeray faction candidate Rutuja Latke after HC asks BMC to accept her resignation ahead of Andheri bypoll

The Bombay High Court (HC) on Thursday directed the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to accept the resignation of Ms Rutuja Latke, the candidate of Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena for Andheri East Assembly Constituency. Ms Latke will get a relieving letter on Friday 11 am. "I have got justice. I will take ahead the legacy of my late husband Ramesh Latke," she told reporters on Thursday.

"It was a big relief for me. I expected the BMC officers to help me, but they did not help me. I did not want to approach the court but I was left with no option. Now, I will get a relieving letter tomorrow at 11 pm after which I will file the nomination,” she added. Tomorrow is the last date for filing nominations.

Ms Latke reiterated that she will contest the election on the torch symbol.

Reacting to corruption allegations made against her, she said she had never met nor heard of the person who levelled charges against her. “When you resign from the BMC, you need to take an NOC from the departments you had worked for in the past. I have a certificate from the BMC that there is no complaint pending against me. So the charges against me do not make sense," she clarified.

"My husband was and my family is loyal to Shiv-Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray. I have the support of people of Andheri East. My husband’s blessings are with me, that helped me win the case in High Court, she said.

She was motivated by the speeches of Late Balasaheb Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray, she added.

Meanwhile, Shiv-Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said, “We are ready for any challenge. There was no need for the Shinde group to play foul. The BMC administration should give her a relieving letter today itself rather than waiting till Friday. It is evident that the BMC administration acted under pressure, they are doing it only after the court pulled them up.”