Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has released the first list of Shiv Sena candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, Sanjay Gaikwad, who was upset over not getting a ministerial berth, had rebelled by filing two nominations from the Buldhana constituency. Shinde has fielded sitting MP Prataprao Jadhav as the official candidate. Gaikwad has now reacted on whether he will withdraw his candidature or continue his rebellion.
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While Jadhav has claimed that Sanjay Gaikwad will withdraw his application, Gaikwad has made it clear that he will not withdraw his application. "I have not rebelled, I am firm on contesting the elections. We will know what happens after the 4th of withdrawal of nominations," Gaikwad said.
"I have filed my nomination because I wanted to contest the Lok Sabha elections. For now, there is no withdrawal," Gaikwad said. "I did not file this application suddenly. I had already decided. The difference is that instead of just 40,000-50,000 supporters, we took five people and filed the application," Gaikwad said.
"People who don't work, don't know the masses, are ready to contest elections. I work round the clock, and met Jadhav but there was no discussion on withdrawing the application," Gaikwad said.