Congress forced Ashok Chavan to contest LS polls, claims BJP leader Vinod Tawde

Taking a pot shot at the Congress in view of internal clashes within the opposition party, BJP leader and Education Minister Vinod Tawde on Saturday said that Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan has been forced to contest the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. "Congress' internal clashes have escalated to such a level that their convenor came here to intervene from the Centre. Ashok Chavan was trying to field his wife for the Lok Sabha poll as he was willing to take part in the state politics. However, the party has given him the ticket to contest the elections," Tade told ANI. Congress has fielded Chavan from Nanded Lok Sabha constituency.Tawde claimed that Former Maharashtra chief minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan was filled with happiness after the party announced Ashok's name for the general elections.

"The happiest person is Prithviraj Chavan as Ashok Chavan has gone to Delhi. VK Patil has been sidelined. So, now he will have single-handed leadership in Maharashtra," he said.Continuing his tirade against the Congress for its failure to field a candidate from Pune, Tawde said: "Congress' condition is so bad that they are unable to find a candidate for Pune. They got a candidate for North Pune after a long struggle."

"In this scenario, the Congress party will not be able to gain the faith of the people of the state," he said.

Asked if there were issues within the BJP for North Pune parliamentary constituency, Tawde said: "Shiv Sena and BJP have stitched an alliance. Uddhav ji and Amit Shah will take a decision on it."The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held from April 11 and will go on till May 19.Maharashtra will go to polls in the first four phases, beginning April 11. Results of the polls will be declared on May 23.