Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nana Kate has withdrawn his nomination as an independent from the Chinchwad constituency for the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly polls, setting up a battle between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Pimpri-Chinchwad chief Shankar Jagtap and NCP-SP nominee Rahul Kalate.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had earlier met Kate to convince him to withdraw. However, Kate was adamant about contesting. Now, he has withdrawn his nomination. However, he hasn't named the candidate he would be supporting. He had earlier stated that he and his supporters won't campaign for Jagtap despite being in the Mahayuti.
Speaking to The Free Press Journal after the Chinchwad seat went to the BJP, Kate had said that he would seek a ticket from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). If he didn't receive a positive response, he would consider the option of contesting as an independent, he said. Following MVA announcing Kalate's candidature, Kate decided to go independent. "From the outset, Ajit Dada told me to keep in touch with the voters, and accordingly, I followed his instructions. However, now this seat has gone to the BJP. I feel betrayed," he had said.
Laxman Jagtap had held the Chinchwad seat since 2009. However, after his passing in 2023, a bypoll was held and his wife Ashwini Jagtap was nominated by the BJP. Kate fought against her but faced defeat.
