Fadnavis says Shirsat has backed Mahayuti, questions separate stand over Satish Chavan

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke in Nagpur about the stir within the Mahayuti. He said Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar guardian minister and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat had made it clear only yesterday that he is with the Mahayuti and with Satish Chavan. According to Fadnavis, the BJP has been at work since day one.

Fadnavis said, "If one person has taken a different stand, it cannot be said that it is the party's stand." He said the head of that party should also take note of this. He asked, "When we are together, why such a different stand?" and added that taking such a stand is not right from the party's point of view.

For the past few days, political activity has been intense in the Mahayuti over the graduates' constituency election, and there had been talk of friction within the alliance. Meanwhile, in the Amravati teachers' constituency election, a Nationalist candidate rebelled on a seat assigned to the Shiv Sena. After this, the Shinde Sena had withdrawn its support to Satish Chavan, the Nationalist Congress candidate from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Guardian Minister Sanjay Shirsat then held another press conference and appeared to move closer to the Mahayuti. The chief minister has now responded on the matter and clarified the position.

Fadnavis said a friendly contest is being held only in the Pune teachers' constituency. He claimed the Mahayuti would win all five graduates' constituency seats. According to him, Kiran Sarnaik is the Mahayuti candidate in Amravati and the Bharatiya Janata Party is standing with him. In the Pune graduates' constituency, Dr Smita Jadhav is the Mahayuti candidate and the Nationalist Congress Party is with her. He said the Nationalist Congress Party is stronger in some areas. Fadnavis also said Sunita Bhabhi had held a meeting and put the Nationalist Congress Party to work, and the Shiv Sena too has got down to work. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the Shiv Sena and the BJP are standing behind Satish Chavan. He said all five graduates' seats would be won by the Mahayuti.

On the Maha Vikas Aghadi, Fadnavis said it has been deeply divided from the start and that factional politics is rampant within it. He said that today they are working united as the BJP and the Mahayuti. In Nagpur, all factions of the BJP, the Nationalist Congress Party and other allies appear to be working together, but nothing of the kind is visible in the Congress, he said.

The BJP's official candidate in the Nagpur graduates' constituency election is Sudhakar Kohle. An interaction programme was held with teachers, professors and the university teaching forum to campaign for him. Fadnavis said he also listened to their problems. According to him, they were told about the state government's continuous work in the education sector and how much importance has been given to it. Fadnavis said the state government has recruited professors for the first time, and he has sought their votes on this basis. He expressed confidence that his candidate would get votes in large numbers.

Fadnavis said he would hold discussions today with lawyers, doctors and various organisations and appeal to all of them to vote. He also said, "In my view, there is no need to go to second-preference votes." According to him, Sudhakar Kohle will get the quota of first-preference votes.