Chhagan Bhujbal has withdrawn his candidature from the Nashik Lok Sabha seat
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal today said he has withdrawn his candidature from the Nashik Lok Sabha seat. The development comes amid a tussle between the NCP and the Shiv Sena to contest from this seat.
Mr Bhujbal, who is also a minister in the Maharashtra government, told reporters he will support a candidate of the Mahayuti in the Nashik seat. Mahayuti is the BJP and Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra.
He asked the alliance to nominate a candidate soon as delay could affect the alliance's chances.
The Nashik seat at present is held by Hemant Godse of the ruling Shiv Sena. But the NCP had been keen on contesting it and so had fielded Mr Bhujbal, who had turned down a request to contest on the BJP symbol.
A section of BJP leaders had been pressing hard to get the Nashik seat for them, citing their strength in the form of over 100 former corporators from the Nashik Municipal Corporation and the Trimbakeshwar civic body. There are about 6.50 lakh Other Backward Classes (OBC), 5.50 lakh Maratha, and 3 lakh tribal voters in Nashik.
A prominent OBC leader, Mr Bhujbal had hope to get votes from the community in addition to the support of the traditional BJP followers.