Nashik (Maharashtra) [India], November 1 : Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan said on Friday that there will be no rebel candidates from either the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or the from Mahayuti alliance, and they all will contest the upcoming assembly elections as a united front.
Mahajan expressed confidence that the Mahayuti alliance will secure a stronger mandate that it did in 2019.
"There will be no rebel (candidates) from BJP or Mahayuti. We will contest elections together. Mahayuti will get a bigger mandate than in 2019 and form government. Those who did not get tickets should withdraw their nominations," Mahajan told ANI.
His remarks come after Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) granting a ticket to Nawab Malik, with the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) fielding Suresh 'Bullet' Patil as a candidate in response.
BJP has opposed the nomination of Nawab Malik as an NCP (Ajit Pawar) candidate, with BJP leader Kirit Somaiya calling him a terrorist.
"Nawab Malik is a terrorist who tried to break India into pieces. He is Dawood's agent and Ajit Pawar's NCP has betrayed the country by giving ticket to Nawab Malik," said Somaiya.
Nawab Malik will now be up against the Yuti's official candidate Shiv Sena's Suresh 'Bullet' Patil with Samajwadi Party candidate and sitting MLA Abu Azmi the other heavweight in the fight.
Earlier, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar said that NCP (Ajit Pawar) should have refrained from nominating Nawab Malik, considering the serious allegations against him. Shelar said that the BJP cannot associate with such individuals.
In response, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said, "By November 4, it will be clear which candidate will contest from which seat."
The BJP is in alliance with NCP (Ajit Pawar), and Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde), called the Mahayuti alliance. The other major alliance for the state's assembly election is the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising of Congress, Sharad Pawar-led NCP, and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.
The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with counting for all 288 constituencies set for November 23.
In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena 56, and the Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP secured 122 seats, the Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42.