Andheri Assembly bypoll: BJP took collective decision to withdraw as per Maha culture, says Union minister Danve

The decision by the BJP to withdraw from the Andheri East Assembly bypoll contest was taken "collectively" respecting the "culture of Maharashtra", Union minister Raosaheb Danve said on Monday. The senior BJP leader was referring to the convention in Maharashtra politics wherein bypolls necessitated by the death of sitting MLAs or MPs, and if being contested by their kin, then the electoral contest is generally avoided, though there are exceptions.

Earlier in the day, Bharatiya Janata Party's Murji Patel withdrew his nomination against Rutuja Latke of the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena for the November 3 byelection.

A day earlier, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's Raj Thackeray had demanded an "unopposed" election.


"Looking at the political legacy of Maharashtra, the BJP decided to withdraw its candidate from the Andheri East bypoll. Such decisions are taken based on happenings in politics," Danve told reporters in Aurangabad.

The BJP MP said if all parties are thinking similarly, then BJP will also think in the same manner.

"Decisions in the BJP are taken collectively," he said, adding that Nationalist Congress Party had played a similar role in the bypoll necessitated by the death of BJP stalwart Gopinath Munde in June 2014.

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Council and Uddhav Thackeray loyalist, Ambadas Danve, hailed the BJP's decision, though he added that the victory of Latke was "confirmed".

Monday was the last date for the withdrawal of nominations for the bypoll.