The political landscape in Nashik appears to be heating up as rumours circulate about Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal's purported dissatisfaction with Shiv Sena leader Hemant Godse's nomination for the Nashik Lok Sabha seat.
Commenting on the matter, Jayant Patil, the state president of NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), stated, "We heard that Chhagan Bhujbal saheb is upset. I don't know who else is upset. No one is in contact with me. Even after splitting the two parties, the BJP and their alliances are not getting mass support, so they are taking in more parties. The more the party tries to consolidate, the less the base will be. It will not help to unite the parties."
Sunil Tatkare, the state president of Ajit Pawar's faction of the NCP, addressed Bhujbal's alleged discontent, saying, "There is no reason for him to get upset. We are with the BJP now, so there is no old rivalry. There is no truth to the claim that Chhagan Bhujbal is not active in campaigning for Nashik. Bhujbal and his team are currently active. Bhujbal's displeasure was only about the seat allocation, and after that, there was no issue. Ajit Pawar will also be active in the campaign."
Meanwhile, NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh told media persons that Sunil Tatkare had recently visited the same hotel in Nashik where Sharad Pawar and Jayant Patil were staying during the Lok Sabha poll campaign.
"Tatkare had gone to the hotel. We don't know why. He even met some of our party activists. He has not contacted me or any other leaders in the NCP (SP)," Deshmukh stated, without specifying the timing or location of the encounter.
In response to a question, Deshmukh dismissively remarked that even if Tatkare were to approach the NCP (SP), he would not be entertained in any manner, nor would he be given a re-entry to the NCP (SP), effectively quashing political speculations about potential changes in alliances post-LS results.
Nashik is scheduled to vote on May 20.
Sena (UBT) supporters shout slogans
Supporters of the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday raised slogans during a roadshow by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Nashik city, prompting him to respond with an action indicating the bow-and arrow symbol.
He was campaigning for Hemant Godse, his party's candidate from Nashik Lok Sabha constituency.
Some supporters of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena shouted slogans in support of their party's candidate, Rajabhau Waje, and showed the party symbol 'flaming torch' when Shinde's roadshow passed Marathon Chowk.
The chief minister responded by making the action of shooting an arrow from a bow.
The bow-and-arrow election symbol of the undivided Shiv Sena went to the Shinde group after the party split in 2022 as the Election Commission recognised his faction as the real Shiv Sena.
(With IANS and PTI inputs)
