With the Maharashtra Assembly elections around the corner, candidate announcements from both the Mahayuti and Mahavikas Aghadi alliances have stirred up local politics. In a surprising development, the Nashik East seat, previously aligned with the BJP, has now gone to the NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar. This move marks a significant blow to the BJP, as NCP has chosen Ganesh Gite, a former close ally of BJP minister Girish Mahajan, to contest from this constituency.
Ganesh Gite, a two-time corporator and former chairperson, is set to join the NCP shortly, and his official nomination is expected to follow soon. Initially, Gite had expressed interest in running from Nashik East on a BJP ticket. However, the BJP decided to re-nominate current MLA Rahul Dhikale, which led to Gite’s decision to explore options with other parties.
The NCP’s decision to nominate Gite is likely to intensify the election battle in Nashik East. With his experience and local support, Gite is expected to challenge BJP candidate Dhikale, creating a tough contest in the constituency.