Mumbai: Now that candidates have been announced for the assembly election, the ruling parties must grapple with revolt by rebuffed aspirants in various constituencies.
GADKARI CAMP SNUBBED: The message of the BJP is loud and clear: there is but one leader in Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis. Those in the BJP's anti-Fadnavis camp -- Nitin Gadkari and Eknath Khadse -- have been cut down to size. Gadkari confidant and ministers, Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Vinod Tawde, have been denied tickets.
KEPT WAITING: Bawankule was kept waiting till the last minute, only to be replaced by Tekchand Sawarkar in the Kamthi assembly constituency in Nagpur district. Despite his close ties with Gadkari, he failed to make it.
NARVEKAR FROM COLABA: In Mumbai, legislator Raj Purohit made way for Rahul Narvekar from Colaba. Narvekar is the son-in -law of NCP leader and chairman of the legislative council Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar.
Prakash Mehta, a senior leader and former housing minister, too, was replaced by Parag Shah in Gharkopar East. Vinod Tawde has been replaced by Sunil Rane, a not-so-well-known name in the BJP.
GHATKOPAR CLASH: The Sena supporters of former Maharashtra minister Prakash Mehta, angry at the denial of ticket from Ghatkopar, vandalised the car of Parag Shah, the BJP candidate who replaced Mehta, on Friday, police said.
The incident took place around 11.15am when Shah was on his way to file his nomination papers. While Shah, accompanied by a group of BJP activists, was heading to the venue for filling papers, men claiming to be Mehta supporters reached there and stopped Shah’s car.
Mehta's supporters were angry over the former being denied a ticket from Ghatkopar (East), from where he won in 2014. They damaged the windshield of Shah's car and other parts of the vehicle. Shah was unhurt, but remained seated inside the car till the crowd dispersed.
Mehta's supporters raised slogans against Shah and also held him responsible for the party denying Mehta the ticket. As the crowd swirled around Shah's car, they disrupted traffic. Finally, the police intervened and dispersed the mob.
SENA TOO DENIES TICKETS: The Shiv Sena too denied tickets to two of its sitting legislators in Mumbai. Ashok Patil, legislator from Bhandup, was replaced by Ramesh Korgaonkar and Bandra East legislator Trupti Sawant was replaced by Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar. Supporters of Patil and Sawant protested in front of Matoshree.
In Kalyan too, there was a rebellion. Shiv Sena leader Dhananjay Bodarer revolted against the BJP candidate in Kalyan East, Ganpat Gaikwad. Bodare is the leader of the opposition in Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation.
CM warning to rebels: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has warned all rebels to withdraw their nominations. "If you do not withdraw, you will be nowhere in both parties. We will ensure your defeat," he said.
