Pune: MVA Backs Independent Bapu Bhegade, Fields No Candidate In Maval Assembly Constituency Against NCP's Incumbent MLA Sunil Shelke

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) - an alliance of Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) - has fielded no candidate for the Maval Assembly seat. Instead, it has extended its support to independent candidate Bapu Bhegade. He will face off against incumbent MLA Sunil Shelke of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

NCP (SP) district president Jagannath Bapu Shewale said the Maval Assembly constituency was allocated to his party in the seat-sharing talks between the MVA. "However, considering people's support for Bhegade in Maval, it was decided not to field our candidate there. Instead, we extended support to Bhegade, and our party workers will campaign for him."

Bhegade, the former state vice president of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, resigned from his post after he was denied a ticket, as sitting MLA Shelke was renominated from Maval.

Bhegade also has support from the BJP's local unit. Former state minister Bala Bhegade, who was vying for a ticket from the seat, has announced his support for the independent candidate. This development comes despite his multiple meetings with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Earlier, the local BJP unit had passed a resolution to not work for Shelke if he gets the ticket from the Mahayuti.

Bala Bhegade himself has won from the seat twice, in 2009 and 2014. In 2019, Shelke, who had earlier been with the BJP, joined the NCP and contested from the seat. After the split in the NCP, Shelke joined the Ajit Pawar faction.