Andheri East bypoll | Raj Thackeray appeals to BJP to allow Uddhav camp nominee to be elected unopposed

As the battle for the Andheri East by-election heats up, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday urged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to withdraw its candidate from the contest and permit Rutuja Latke, wife of the deceased Andheri MLA Ramesh Latke, to be elected unopposed as it was in keeping with Maharashtra’s political culture.

In an emotional letter to State BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Mr. Thackeray – who is known for his closeness to Mr. Fadnavis and the saffron party – appealed to the latter to not field any candidate against Ms. Latke, who is the candidate of the opposition Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Thackeray.

“Whenever there has been a situation wherein a sitting MLA has passed away and a family member has filed for their candidature, our party has refrained from fighting the by-poll. This is our way of paying our reverence to the departed soul. I appeal to you with these sentiments in mind. Sentiments such as these are a part of our Maharashtra’s culture. I hope you will consider my appeal,” said Mr. Raj Thackeray.

Praising the late Mr. Latke, the MNS chief said that the deceased MLA was “an efficient worker” who had commenced his political journey from the lowest reaches of his party by being a humble Shiv Sena’s shakha pramukh.

“I have witnessed his [Mr. Latke’s] journey and growth in the political arena…I sincerely request you to not enter this by-poll election and put a candidate against Rutuja Latke,” he stated in the letter.

In what has been a bitter run-up to the by-poll, the ruling BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Sena faction have already fielded Murji Patel amid accusations by the Uddhav camp that the ruling coalition had repeatedly attempted to pressurize Ms. Latke. Both candidates have already filed their respective nominations.

Given the MNS’ shift in ideological direction by veering towards ‘Hindutva’ politics, Mr. Thackeray’s party has inched ever closer to the BJP in an attempt on his party’s part to seize the ‘Hindutva’ space from the Sena faction led by his estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray.

There has been widespread speculation of the MNS allying with the BJP in the upcoming civic polls.

In this context, his earnest appeal to his ‘friend’ Devendra Fadnavis to withdraw the BJP’s candidate has raised political eyebrows. 

Commenting on Mr. Thackeray’s letter, Mr. Fadnavis told reporters that the decision to withdraw the candidate was not his to take.

He said that while the BJP would “seriously consider” the MNS chief’s request, a final decision in this case could only be taken after internal discussions not just with the BJP brass but also after consulting with CM Shinde.

“I cannot make this decision alone. I will have to discuss this with my colleagues and party leaders because this letter comes at such a stage when we have already declared our candidate [Murji Patel] and he has filed his nomination,” Mr. Fadnavis said.

At the same time, he observed that the BJP had considered similar requests in the past and had not fielded any candidate when the NCP had fielded Suman Patil, former minister R.R. Patil’s wife, in the Tasgaon  bypoll in 2015 following the Mr. Patil’s death.

Meanwhile, Uddhav camp loyalist, MP Arvind Sawant welcomed the MNS chief’s letter but remarked that it had come too late.

Mr. Sawant further said it was “unlikely” that the BJP would withdraw its candidate from the fray at this late hour.