Resentment within BJP over candidature in Chinchwad

Pimpri: It is said that BJP City Unit President Shankar Jagtap’s name has been finalised instead of Ashwini Jagtap as the party candidate from the Chinchwad Assembly seat.

However, this has given rise to dissent in the party. As many as 15 former corporators held a meeting on Wednesday (October 16). They took an aggressive stance. They demanded the candidature for one of them instead of giving it to the Jagtaps. At the same time, 25 former corporators and supporters of the Jagtaps announced that they would firmly stand behind the Jagtaps. This indicated bickering within the party.

The late MLA Laxman Jagtap was elected from the Chinchwad Assembly segment twice on the BJP ticket and once as an independent. His wife Ashwini was elected in the bypoll after his death. There were differences within the family over her candidature. Then Shankar Jagtap was appointed the City Unit President.

However, a group of former corporators opposed his appointment and did not cooperate with him. They supported Ashwini Jagtap for over a year. It was learnt that the Jagtaps reached a compromise over the candidature.

Moreover, the BJP conducted a survey and found that the first preference for the candidature was given to Shankar Jagtap while Ashwini Jagtap was the second choice. In this backdrop, it was learnt that the latter withdrew from the race and the former’s candidature was confirmed.

However, a group of former corporators has become aggressive against Shankar Jagtap. They held an urgent meeting. They said, “The Jagtap family got the MLA as well as the City Unit President. Why has it been given the candidature once again? Shankar Jagtap was a corporator for a single term. People support the party and not an individual or a family. It is not appropriate to field Shankar Jagtap just because he is the late MLA’s brother.

“The party can choose any one of us. We will get the party candidate elected.”

Later, 25 former corportors and supporters of Shankar Jagtap also came together on Wednesday and assured Shankar Jagtap that they firmly stood behind him. Hence, it became evident that there was a divide within the party over the candidature. They awaited a decision by the party leadership.

Dissenting voices

As many as eight former corporators are against giving the ticket to the Jagtaps. They included Chandrakant Nakhate, Shatrughna Kate, Sandip Kaspate, Sunita Tapkir, Madhuri Kulkarni, Savita Nakhate, Siddheshwar Barne and Kailas Barne. Five others have not openly expressed their stance but have only supported these leaders. Besides the former corporators, BJYM State Vice-President Raj Tapkir, City Unit Vice-President Ram Wakadkar are also a part of this group.

Chandrakant Nakhate said, “We have sought time from DyCM Devendra Fadnavis to persuade him that the candidature should be given to anyone except the Jagtaps. If the party fails to consider our demand, we will decide our future course of action unanimously.”