CM, Uddhav warn rebels, ask them to withdraw

Mumbai: As disgruntled Shiv Sena and BJP leaders have filed their nomination as independent candidates, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday unequivocally told the rebels to withdraw their candidature or face the consequences.

Mr Fadnavis said that all rebels would be asked to withdraw their nominations within the next two days. “I am hopeful that once both parties speak to them, they will end their rebellion. If they decide to go ahead and contest the election, they will not get any place in the saffron alliance,” he said.

Mr Fadnavis added that the grand alliance would quell all rebellions in the next two days. If they fail to withdraw their nominations, they will be shown their place by the Mahayuti, he said.

Mr Fadnavis said each one of member of the saffron alliance had made compromises (in terms of seat sharing). “I believe that the Mahayuti will win with a huge margin,” he said. He also predicted that Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray would win with the highest margin in Mumbai.

In Mumbai, BJP leader and former corporator Murji Patel from ward 81 has filed his nomination against the Sena Ramesh Latke from Andheri East while Shubhranshu Dixit, who is a member of the saffron party’s National Executive, has fielded his wife Mamat against the Sena’s candidate, Dilip Lande, while alleging that the party leadership has ignored north Indian candidates. Mr Dixit also claimed that if the BJP had fielded north Indian candidate from this seat, it would be victorious, as the Sena had failed to win since the past 20 years.