MUMBAI: Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday said reports of him contesting against NCP-turned-BJP leader Udayanraje Bhosale in the Lok Sabha bypoll for the latter's Satara seat were rumours.
Bhosale resigned from the Lok Sabha and joined the BJP on Saturday in the presence of party chief Amit Shah and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
"Nobody has asked me contest the Lok Sabha bypoll. I am interested in contesting Assembly elections," Chavan said.
When asked what his stand would be in case the Congress asked him to contest the Satara Lok Sabha bypoll, Chavan refused to delve into the issue by stating "there is no point in talking about ifs and buts".
He, however, expressed confidence that the Congress- NCP combine would retain Satara in the bypoll.
On Bhosale switching sides, Chavan said people could not be taken for granted.
Chavan said there was a possibility that mathadi (headload) workers' union leader Narendra Patil might be fielded by the NCP against Bhosale.
Patil had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls against Bhosale on a Shiv Sena ticket and was beaten by a margin of 1.26 lakh votes.