MUMBAI: Senior BJP leader and a prominent minister in Devendra Fadnavis cabinet, Vinod Tawde, has said that he stands by the party principle of “Nation First, then Party and Self last” after the party denied ticket to him.
The BJP released its fourth list on Friday morning. None of the five top state leaders who were awaiting the announcement of their names was among the six candidates declared in the list.
According to the fourth list senior leader, Eknath Khadse’s daughter Rohini has been nominated by the party from his Muktainagar constituency in Jalgaon district. In Mumbai, the party has changed three of its sitting MLAs. In Ghatkopar, East real estate businessman Parag Shah is nominated by the party in place of former housing development minister Prakash Mehta, former MLA Sunil Shinde has replaced Vinod Tawde from Borivali in North Mumbai. In the south Mumbai constituency of Colaba, in place of five-time MLA Raj Purohit, the party has chosen state legislative council chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar’s son-in-law Rahul Narvekar.
While clearing air about the party decision, Tawde said, “We are in the middle of an important election. This is not the time to assess who erred. We shall all work to get a two-third majority for the party.”
“After the list was released I started getting calls from all over the state. I told everybody to concentrate on their own area and not to engage in worthless discussions. The party has its own assessment. CM Fadnavis and State President Patil, both have strived hard for me to get nominated. However, the party has decided not to give me a chance this time. I accept the decision. I’m sure I would get another chance some other time,” Tawde added while asking his supporters to work for the party.
In the fourth list, the party has fielded Chanransingh Thakur from Katol in Nagpur, Pradeep Padole from Tumsar and Rahul Dhikle from Nashik East. In this, the party has replaced its Nashik City head Balasaheb Sanap.
Power minister Chandrashekar Bawankule’s fate still hangs in uncertainty as the leader considered very close to Union minister Nitin Gadkari hasn’t been nominated from any of the constituencies as yet, while his Kampti constituency hasn’t gone to anyone else.