Even as the BJP has continued its suspense on its candidate for Chinchwad assembly seat in Maharashtra’s Pune district for the bypoll to be held on February 26, Shankar Jagtap, brother of deceased BJP MLA Laxman Jagtap, has hinted that he would one of the aspirants for the seat.
Shankar Jagtap’s name is being widely speculated in BJP circles after Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis gave a surprise visit to his residence last week. Shankar also met top BJP leaders in party headquarters in Mumbai two days ago, said BJP leaders close to him.
“I will abide by whatever decision the party takes. I have been in politics for 30 years now. As a party worker currently, we are preparing for the ensuing election,” Shankar Jagtap told The Indian Express when asked if he was one of the aspirants for the seat.
Shankar also denied the rumours that Fadnavis enquired with him about elections.
“The Deputy Chief Minister had come during the funeral. But after that, he could not make it. He said he wanted to meet the family and condole my brother’s death,” Shankar Jagtap said. Fadnavis had apparently rushed straight from Delhi to Pimple Gurav in Pimpri-Chinchwad where the Jagtap family lives.
What transpired during the meeting between Fadnavis and Shankar has been kept a closely guarded secret. Shankar himself has denied that he and Fadnavis discussed politics or the ensuing bypoll.
After the death of Laxman Jagtap, the names of Jagtap family members – his wife Ashwini and younger brother Shankar Jagtap – have been doing the rounds as probable candidates. The Jagtap family was mum on who is the aspirant for the party ticket.
BJP leaders say they do not have a strong leader in Chinchwad seat. And therefore the party will go with a Jagtap family member. Shankar Jagtap is considered a strong choice as it was he who had been the campaign manager of his brother in all his elections. Shankar Jagtap is also known for his “better connectivity” with the local population and party workers and leaders.
The BJP on its part has been trying to ensure an unopposed election to the seat. The saffron party has been saying that there is a tradition in Maharashtra politics that if a relative of the deceased MLA is fielded from the same seat, then the Opposition parties withdraw their candidates. The BJP has cited the instance of a recent bypoll in Andheri East where it did not field a candidate. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde too has cited Maharashtra’s political tradition.
However, leaders of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) have rejected the call. Both Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray)’s Sanjay Raut have said that they want to contest the Chinchwad seat. The NCP, which has been in alliance with the Congress in the state, has been contesting the seat since 2009 when it came into existence. Shiv Sena which is now part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi has also expressed interest in contesting the seat in view of the last elections performance of its leader Rahul Kalate.
BJP’s Pimpri-Chinchwad president Mahesh Landge said he too was not aware of the likely candidate for Chinchwad seat. “Our party leadership is expected to announce the name this week itself,” Landge said. The last date for filing nomination papers is February 7.
Laxman Jagtap, the three-time MLA from the Chinchwad constituency, passed away on January 3 necessitating the bypoll to the seat.