Shiv Sena's Arjun Khotkar withdraws demand to fight from Jalna LS seat

Mumbai: The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra Sunday ironed out a major difference with state minister Arjun Khotkar withdrawing his demand to be allotted the Jalna Lok Sabha seat, currently held by BJP state unit chief Raosaheb Danve. Danve has been MP from Jalna since 1999 and Khotkar, a Sena minister and local rival of the former, had been demanding that he be allowed to fight from the seat on a Sena ticket or be allowed to engage in a "friendly" fight with the BJP leader.

In a marathon meeting held Sunday at a private hotel in Aurangabad which was attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Khotkar announced he was withdrawing his demand as he understood the "principle of alliance". The two parties had in February entered into an alliance for the April-May Lok Sabha polls and the state Assembly elections to be held later this year. "I have understood the principle of alliance. I am a hardcore Shiv Sena party worker and would not indulge in political backstabbing. Whatever responsibilities would be bestowed upon me, I will complete them," Khotkar said. After the meeting, Danve said, "The conflict between Khotkar and me was never personal." Khotkar is a four-time MLA from Jalna Assembly seat and is Minister of State for Textile, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, and Fisheries in Fadnavis government.