Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The civic election contest is intensifying amid behind-the-scenes political maneuvering. Friday was the final day for withdrawal of nominations. Candidates began arriving to withdraw their nomination papers from 10 am, with independent candidates forming the majority.
In ERO-6, a total of 55 candidates from Prabhags 24 and 25 withdrew their nominations and stepped out of the race even before the contest began. As a result, 98 candidates now remain in the electoral fray, among whom a keen contest is expected.
From Prabhag 23, 18 candidates withdrew their nominations. Twelve candidates withdrew from Prabhag 24, while 25 candidates from Prabhag 25 stepped back, making a total of 55 withdrawals.
Official candidates of political parties and their workers were stationed at the election office. Independent candidates who had rebelled against their own parties after being denied tickets were being persuaded to withdraw. Rebels were contacted over mobile phones, called to the office, and their nomination papers were withdrawn. Party ministers and MLAs themselves assured these rebel candidates of political rehabilitation.
Only after these assurances did candidates come to the centre to withdraw their nominations. With just five minutes remaining before the 3 pm deadline, three women candidates arrived one after another, running to submit their withdrawal forms. At 2.58 pm, an independent woman candidate from Prabhag 23 (Category C) withdrew her nomination.
“ I have to listen to the party leadership. I wanted to contest the election, but since a minister and my husband insisted, I am withdrawing my nomination,” she said, and left the office with a heavy heart.