Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Shinde faction's current MLA Pradeep Jaiswal and former MLC Kishanchand Tanwani have staked a claim for their sons to receive the party's nomination from the open male category in the Gulmandi ward.
All eyes are on whether MLA Jaiswal will relinquish the Gulmandi ward for Tanwani's son, considering Tanwani had refused the Uddhav faction's nomination at the last moment in the previous Assembly elections out of friendship for Jaiswal.
Nomination forms were distributed by the Shinde faction for two consecutive days for the upcoming Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation elections.
Rishikesh, son of Central constituency MLA Pradeep Jaiswal, is an aspirant from the open category within the Gulmandi ward. He also took the nomination form on Saturday. He is an office-bearer of the Yuva Sena and also a member of the party's main coordination committee.
As soon as it became known that Rishikesh was interested in contesting from Gulmandi, the party's Lok Sabha in-charge, Kishan Chand Tanwani, also staked a claim for the open category seat in the Gulmandi ward for his son.
Tanani wants the nomination for either his son Chandrakant (Bunty) or his brother, former corporator Raju Tanwani. Last year, Tanwani was given the Uddhav faction's nomination from the Central constituency in the Assembly elections. However, at the last moment, he withdrew his candidature and supported his friend, Shinde faction candidate Jaiswal.
A few days later, he publicly joined the Shinde faction. It is said that Tanwani sacrificed his candidature out of friendship for Jaiswal. Now, however, these two friends are likely to face each other again for the political future of their sons.
Box
As a former corporator, Raju Tanwani has the first right to the open category seat in the Gulmandi ward. Alternatively, I will ask the party for the nomination for my son, Chandrakant. Jaiswal's residence is in the Samarthnagar ward. Therefore, he should field Rishikesh from Samarthnagar. Moreover, he belongs to the OBC category. They should not come from the open ward of Gulmandi.
(Kishanchand Tanwani, Lok Sabha in-charge, Shinde Sena).
Box
Rishikesh is active in party building, not just because he is the son of MLA Pradeep Jaiswal. He has been an office-bearer of the student wing for 12 years. He stood in line and obtained the nomination form for the Gulmandi Constituency.
(Pradeep Jaiswal, MLA)
Box
Tanwani did not take form but is claiming candidature
The Shinde Sena distributed nomination forms on Friday and Saturday to aspiring candidates. Tanwani said that he has not yet taken the form for his son Chandu alias Bunty or his brother Raju. Tanwani claimed that he would get the form from the Guardian Minister and would also secure the candidature.