MLA Sunil Shelke Faces Rebel And MVA Backed Independent Candidate Bapu Bhegade From Maval
Maval constituency in Maharashtra had been in a deadlock, with seat distribution in both Mahayuti and MVA being struck with confusions. The BJP had initially declared that it would not support sitting MLA and Ajit Pawar’s NCP candidate Sunil Shelke for another term. The BJP had alleged that the MLA made the police file false cases against its leaders. The party’s youth Maval president Nitin Marathe had asserted that they would campaign against him if fielded.
Notably, another prominent leader from within Ajit Pawar’s NCP Bapu Bhegade staked claim for the candidature from Maval. As NCP fielded the sitting MLA, Bhegade resigned from the party and filed a nomination as independent candidate from the seat. One of the BJP’s strongholds which it represented from 1995 to 2019, the MVA decided to refrain from contesting from Maval while declaring its support to the former NCP leader who is vying as independent. Former minister and BJP leader Bala Bhegade also left the party to support Bhegade against NCP candidate.
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During the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP-led NDA won the majority and formed the government in Maharashtra. Due to the fractures within the alliance, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena quit the NDA and joined hands with the NCP and Congress to form a new alliance, resulting in the formation of a new government with Uddhav as chief minister. Then came the Shiv Sena division when 40 MLAs left the faction, joining the BJP. Ajit Pawar’s rebellion drew split in the NCP too, resulting in two factions: one NCP led by Ajit Pawar and the other by Sharad Pawar. Sunil Shelke who won the Maval seat with a margin of 93942 votes in 2019 allied with Aji Pawar’s NCP.
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With the skirmish in Ajit Pawar’s NCP over the Maval candidature and the support of the MVA to the independent rebel candidate Bhegade, the contest in Maval has become more tough. Election for the 288 assembly constituencies will be held on October 20, and the result will be declared on 23.
