Nilesh Rane hits back at BJP's Navnath Ban over Pune graduates' seat defeat

The Maha Vikas Aghadi won the state's graduates' and teachers' constituency elections 3-2. The Mahayuti had to accept the defeat, and a spat has since broken out between its constituents, the Shinde Sena and the BJP.

BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban held a press conference on Thursday. He had laid the blame for the defeat in the Pune graduates' constituency on Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena. Shinde Sena MLA Nilesh Rane replied to Ban.

Rane said that while the graduates' contest was under way, no message came to them from the BJP. Even so, he said, the Shinde Sena cooperated. Ban should not teach them how to work, he said. "Hey Navnath Ban, remember this, I will not even give you time to cry," Rane warned.

Rane said that even if an ally is defeated, he regards it as their own defeat. He said there should be deliberation on where the planning went wrong and how to correct it. If Shinde was to be blamed, Rane said, the BJP should not have fielded a candidate in the graduates' constituency, and then their man in the teachers' constituency would have been elected. He also said their district chief does not know who the BJP's planning officer or observer for the graduates' seat is, and that nobody came to them for the graduates' seat. Rane said he does not want to trade charges and counter-charges.

According to Rane, Ban has been making needless and baseless allegations against the Shiv Sena since the day before yesterday. He said Ban has no right to speak about Shinde, and that a spokesperson should do a spokesperson's job. Rane said they have never held a BJP leader responsible for a defeat in any election. He said Ban says the Sena fielded Sanap in the teachers' constituency and that this cost the BJP the Pune graduates' seat. Rane asked whether they should then say that the BJP fielded a candidate in the graduates' seat and so they lost their teachers' constituency seat. Ban should first clarify who in the BJP has sanctioned his taking Shinde's name, he said.

Rane said Navnath Ban is no friend of his but his junior. He said that when he became an MP in 2009, Ban was still in short pants. He asked how Dhangekar's name came up. Rane also said he was in Satara during the election and was in charge of Wai and Phaltan.

Rane asked Ban who he is, saying they will answer to their own leaders, to Fadnavis. He said they have worked hard for the BJP. If all the books were to be opened, the book of every election would have to be opened, and that benefits the opposition, Rane said. Nilesh Rane warned that they respect everyone, but if mud is slung at Shinde needlessly, they will not use words carefully.