Mumbai: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday asserted that the Mahayuti was working unitedly in the Legislative Council elections and that the ruling alliance would win all five graduates’ constituencies, even as Shiv Sena MLA Abdul Sattar’s decision to back the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate in the Marathwada graduates’ constituency exposed fresh differences within the ruling coalition.
Abdul Sattar Backs Opposition Candidate
Sattar, a leader of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, has extended his support to Pratapsinh Patil, the candidate backed by the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction, bypassing the Mahayuti’s official nominee, Satish Chavan. The move has triggered a political controversy in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where the alliance had recently reversed its decision to withdraw support from Chavan.
Reacting to the developments, Fadnavis said an individual taking a different stand did not necessarily mean it was the party’s official position. He also said the party leadership concerned should take note of such a decision, particularly when the alliance partners were expected to work together.
Fadnavis Confident Of Election Victory
“We are together, so why take a different stand? From the party’s perspective, taking such a position is not appropriate,” Fadnavis said while speaking in Nagpur. He maintained that the BJP and its Mahayuti partners were campaigning together and expressed confidence that all five graduates’ constituencies would be won by the ruling alliance.
The controversy follows a series of developments involving the Mahayuti’s candidates in the Marathwada graduates’ and Amravati teachers’ constituencies. After a rebellion by an NCP candidate against the Shiv Sena’s nominee in Amravati, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena had withdrawn its support from Chavan in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Shiv Sena Restores Support To Chavan
However, following discussions between Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, and subsequent political consultations involving BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant in Amravati, the Shiv Sena leadership reportedly directed its local unit to restore support for Chavan.
Guardian Minister Sanjay Shirsat subsequently announced that the Shiv Sena would stand with the Mahayuti’s official candidate. He said the party had withdrawn its support earlier in accordance with Shinde’s instructions but had subsequently received a fresh directive to back Chavan.
Shirsat suggested that Sattar might not have been aware of the latest developments or the instructions issued by the party leadership. He said Shinde would give Sattar the appropriate directions and that the issue should be resolved thereafter.
Shinde Expected To Clarify Position
“I have received instructions from Eknath Shinde to support Satish Chavan, and we announced our support yesterday. Perhaps these developments have not reached Abdul Sattar. Eknath Shinde will give him the necessary instructions, and the matter should be resolved,” Shirsat said.
Shirsat also reiterated that the BJP and Shiv Sena were backing Chavan, adding that the decision of an individual leader should not be construed as the official stand of the entire party.
Meanwhile, Fadnavis sought to project the Mahayuti as a united front across the state. He said the BJP was campaigning for Kiran Sarnaik, the alliance’s candidate in the Amravati teachers’ constituency, while the NCP was supporting the Mahayuti’s nominee, Dr Smita Jadhav, in the Pune graduates’ constituency. He said the Shiv Sena had also joined the campaign and that a friendly contest was limited to the Pune teachers’ constituency.
Taking a swipe at the opposition, Fadnavis claimed that the MVA had been divided from the outset and was plagued by factional politics. In contrast, he said, the BJP and its Mahayuti partners were working together.
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