Devendra Fadnavis says BJP had decided to give ticket to member of Wanga family

Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said that he had told Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray that the BJP was planning to give a ticket to a member of Chintaman Wanga's family for the by-election.

Despite this, the Sena went ahead and fielded Shriniwas Wanga for the May 28 by-election to the Palghar Lok Sabha constituency, Fadnavis said, speaking at a campaign rally at Kasa on Sunday. In a jolt to its ally BJP, the Sena fielded Shriniwas Wanga for the ensuing by-election after his father and BJP MP from neighbouring Palghar, Chintaman Wanga, died. The BJP was always ready to give the ticket to a member of the Wanga family, Fadnavis said.

"I had also discussed this with Uddhav and wanted the by-election to be unopposed. He asked me to speak to (state minister and Sena leader) Subhash Desai," he said.

However, suddenly the Sena announced Shriniwas Wanga's candidature, the chief minister said. The BJP has fielded Rajendra Gavit in the by-election. Gavit was the right successor to Chintaman Wanga, Fadnavis said.

"I fact we had planned to give him a ticket in 2019 elections, but no one ever imagined that this by-election would happen," he said.

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