Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
In a coordination meeting of all parties in the Mahayuti alliance, it was decided that leaders should not make statements suggesting that the alliance would be harmed in municipal corporations where its parties are contesting independently. Deputy chief ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde have made it clear that no remarks should be made without focusing on development issues. State ministers, guardian ministers, MPs, and MLAs are also expected to follow this directive. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule told reporters on Monday that all ministers have been briefed, and he requested that deputy CM Pawar also adhere to the alliance’s discipline.
On election challenges in the municipal corporation
Responding to questions about the elections, Bawankule said, “ In some prabhags, BJP faces opposition from Shinde Sena, AIMIM, NCP, and Uddhav Sena. Even if there are 22 rebel candidates, they are still our people. The public, however, will remain with the BJP.”
After DyCM Pawar made certain remarks, BJP state president Ravindra Chavan said that NCP should not have been included in the Mahayuti alliance. On this, Bawankule said Pawar should not have commented. “In the coordination meeting of Mahayuti, it was decided that in places where alliance parties are contesting independently, leaders should not make statements implying that the alliance will suffer. My request to ‘Dada’ (Ajit Pawar) is to ensure there is no misunderstanding. I may not be able to brief them personally, but as coordinator, I am requesting him to refrain from commenting on the 13 parties in the alliance,” he said.
‘Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar’ is Key
Referring to the controversy over surveys in the BJP office, where loyalists were allegedly ignored, Bawankule said that surveys are never final. “Comprehensive evaluation is done, considering the social and political background of candidates. Finally, candidates are chosen based on the principle of ‘Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar’. If a worker is treated unfairly, some candidates have withdrawn and we will stand with them. Even those who opposed us are still part of our broader support base,” he said.