Maharashtra Politics: Disagreement in Maha Vikas Aghadi, Both Shiv Sena, NCP Want To Contest Chinchwad Bypoll

Maharashtra: Differences are coming to the fore in the Mahavikas Aghadi regarding the by-elections to be held in Chinchwad and Kasba seats in Maharashtra's Pune district. A situation of conflict has arisen in the Mahavikas Aghadi alliance due to the claim of both Shiv Sena and NCP to the Chinchwad assembly seat. Chinchwad and Kasba assembly seats will go to polls on February 27. 

In fact, the NCP has claimed to field its candidate in the Chinchwad seat. Yesterday, Sharad Pawar held a meeting with MCP leaders. After that, in the evening, NCP's Jayant Patil and Ajit Pawar met Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree. Despite this, today Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting with senior Shiv Sena leaders at Shiv Sena Bhavan and after this meeting, Shiv Sena said that they are willing to contest for Chinchwad seat. On behalf of Shiv Sena, it was said that in Kasba seat, Congress-NCP should contest the election on the basis of mutual consent by deciding the candidate, but Chinchwad seat should be given to Shiv Sena only. In the last election, Shiv Sena's local leader Rahul Kalate secured more than one lakh votes in this seat.

However, the BJP and Shinde faction are trying to say that both these by-elections should be uncontested. Today, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has also made the same appeal to the opposition that, keeping the tradition of Maharashtra, the election should be held unopposed, but Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena says that after the sad demise of NCP and Congress MLAs in Pandharpur, Deglur bypolls, BJP Contested elections. Shiv Sena further alleged that they fielded a candidate in the Andheri by-election too, but withdrew the candidate due to fear of defeat. That's why BJP should not talk about tradition.

Let us inform you that the BJP's Laxman Pandurang Jagtap was the MLA from Chinchwad seat of Pune, while the BJP's Mukta Tilak was the MLA from Kasba seat. By-elections are being held for these seats after both of them died of prolonged illness.