Maharashtra polls: Parties work overtime to get rebels to withdraw nominations

Leaders of all major parties in Maharashtra spent much of Thursday trying to persuade rebels to opt out of the assembly poll fray in a bid to ensure vote splits don't end up in defeat. These leaders held meetings with colleagues and allies to get the winning combination right for the November 20 polls. Earlier in the day, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, of the NCP, met his counterpart and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis at the latter's residence in south Mumbai to discuss withdrawal of nominations.

Pawar later met independent candidate Nana Kate from Chinchwad assembly seat in Pune district to prevail upon him to opt out of the poll fray. Kate, however, remained adamant about contesting.

The Nationalist Congress Party, the BJP and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena comprise the ruling alliance, also called the Mahayuti. Fadnavis, on his part, held meetings with party colleagues and also contacted some rebels. CM Shinde held a meeting with his colleagues at his residence in Thane to discuss the possible impact of rebels on the results and the way forward.


The Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP), also held similar discussions. Pawar and his party's state unit chief Jayant Patil are in touch with rebels to get them to opt out.

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole and his colleagues Vijay Wadettiwar and Balasaheb Thorat also reviewed the political situation and asked rebels to withdraw nominations for the sake of the party.

The exercise by the Shiv Sena (UBT) to get rebels to withdraw was spearheaded by senior leader Anil Desai, Aaditya Thackeray and Anil Parab, among others. November 4 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations. Results of polls to the 288-member assembly will be declared on November 23.