The suspense surrounding Mahayuti's Lok Sabha candidate in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar was somewhat unveiled as Union Home Minister Amit Shah urged the people to send a "kamal" (lotus) - BJP's poll symbol - to Delhi from the city. This clearly suggests that a BJP candidate will contest from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Shah was speaking at a public meeting at the Marathwada Sanskrutik Mandal on Tuesday evening.
During his speech, Shah acknowledged that in the last Lok Sabha elections, the seat of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar was won by the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), attributing it to a mistake from the alliance. He emphasised the need to rectify this mistake and send a "kamal to Delhi".
In an apparent reference to AIMIM, Shah said it was time to "liberate" Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar from "new Nizams". "The entire Marathwada region was under the Nizam rule. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel liberated Marathwada from Nizam, and now it is time to liberate Sambhajinagar from the new Nizams," Shah said.
Rajya Sabha MP Dr Bhagwat Karad is a prominent name among the interested BJP candidates. Dr Karad has publicly expressed his willingness to contest the Lok Sabha elections on several occasions. It is speculated that Dr Karad may secure the candidature from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar if the seat is reserved for BJP. Additionally, Dr Jeevan Rajput, another BJP candidate, has also emerged as a contender. Posters proclaiming support for 'JR' were visible across the district, referring to Dr Jeevan Rajput, who organised a Rajput Community Convention in the city, attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Furthermore, discussions in the political arena suggest that State Housing Minister Atul Save and former mayor Vijay Rahatkar are also interested in contesting the Lok Sabha elections.
