BJP nominee withdraws from by-polls

PUNE, SEPT 6: The Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Ward No 51 (Kothrud Gaothan) Krupa Patil on Wednesday finally withdrew from the by...

PUNE, SEPT 6: The Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Ward No 51 (Kothrud Gaothan) Krupa Patil on Wednesday finally withdrew from the by-election following instructions from party leadership.

BJP’s local party leaders tried hard to convince the party leadership to contest the election against the Shiv Sena. Their efforts, however, did not succeed as State leaders remained adamant on their decision to give away the seat to Shiv Sena candidate Sangeeta Deshpande.

BJP city unit general secretary Gopal Chintal told mediapersons that Krupa Patil withdrew following instructions from state general secretary Sharad Kulkarni. He said the BJP workers would work for alliance candidate Sangeeta Deshpande. However, Chintal said, the party workers are not disappointed as the seat was being offered to the Shiv Sena.

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While Shiv Sena leaders managed to ensure BJP candidate’s withdrawal from the fray, Nationalist Congress Party and Indian National Congress candidates would fight against each other.

In the Congress camp, withdrawal of Laxmi Barate, wife of former Congress corporator Nanasaheb Barate, brought some solace. The main candidates in the by-elections are Sangeeta Deshpande (Shiv Sena), Krishnatai Gaikwad (NCP) and Baby Shinde (Congress). The election has been necessitated because of Suman Mathwad’s demise.

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