BJP-Shiv Sena nominees display strength while filing papers

NASHIK: National Democratic Alliance (NDA)

candidates

for the

Lok Sabha

polls including Hemant Godse of Shiv Sena for

Nashik

and Bharti Pawar of BJP for Dindori constituency presented their nomination papers to the respective returning officers. Candidates of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi also presented their nomination papers.


Candidates were flanked by party workers of Shiv Sena, Bhartiya Janata Party, Republican Party of India (Athawle) group coming from various parts of the district, including Kalwan, Sinnar, Tirmbakeshar, Nashik city and Yeola.

Prominent leaders including MP Sanjay Raut, district guardian minister and Water Resources Department Minister Girish Mahajan, Rural Development Minister of State Dada Bhuse, local district and city unit leaders of the parties of the NDA participated in the show of strength.

The rally started from the BD Bhalekar Ground in the heart of city and wound its way through the NG Patel Road, Ganjmaal, Doodh Bazaar and MG Road before culminating outside the collectorate, where the crowd dispersed.

Saffron caps and flags donned the entire procession route, even as election observers kept close watch.

A lookalike of PM Narendra Modi caught everyone’s eye at the rally as the crowds meandered through lanes and bylanes urging people to vote for these candidates. Vikas Mahante from Mumbai, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Modi, waved to the crowds and campaigned for Godse and Pawar, astride a chariot.

Slogans of Vande Mataram, Jai Shivaji Jai Bhawani were raised by the crowds. BJP rebel candidates – both in Nashik and Dindori – were not to be seen at the rally, fuelling speculation that trouble was brewing.

Sitting MP from Dindori, Harishchandra Chavan, earlier warned that he would contest as an independent. He had taken election forms for himself and his wife, but not submitted them yet.

Manik Kokate on the other hand has filed nomination as BJP as well as independent candidate in Nashik constituency, though the party has not given him any official letter. Also Pawan Pawar (Nashik) and Bapu Barde (Dindori) filed their nomination papers through Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi.

The Aghadi started its rally from BD Bhalekar, well before NDA workers came in. They also took out a rally from Ganjmal, Shivaji Road and paid tributes to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar before arriving at the district collectorate.