Andheri East by-poll: The Bharatiya Janata Party has decided not to contest the by-election from Mumbai's Andheri East and informed that their candidate Murji Patel will be asked to withdraw the nomination. This decision, however, is not sudden and was in the making since MNS chief Raj Thackeray and several other leaders wrote to deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, requesting the party not to field its candidate. The decision was announced by BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule from Nagpur.
"The BJP has decided not to contest the Andheri East bypoll. Murji Patel, who had filed the nomination from the BJP, will now withdraw it. We could have otherwise won the election," Bawankule said in Nagpur. “The BJP had previously also not contested some of the bypolls,” he added.
Monday is the last day for withdrawal of nominations for the Andheri East Assembly by-poll, necessitated due to the death of Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Latke in May this year.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction has fielded Ramesh Latke's wife Rutuja Latke in the by-election. NCP chief Sharad Pawar, too, on Sunday sought the unopposed election of Rutuja Latke in the bypoll.
According to sources, Eknath Shinde faction was also in favour of making the election unopposed.
Also Read: Andheri East bypoll: BJP may withdraw candidate after Raj Thackeray urges Fadnavis, say sources
