CM says Wanga family had misunderstanding, will look into it

Two days after the family of late BJP MP Chintaman Wanga joined the Shiv Sena ahead of the by-election necessitated by his death, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said the family had had some "misunderstanding".

The BJP was their family and they were "welcome anytime", he added.

Wanga was one of the senior-most BJP leaders in the state who had contributed immensely for the party's growth, Fadnavis said, speaking to reporters here.

By-election to Palghar Lok Sabha constituency is scheduled for May 28.

"The party has sympathy for the family. We had almost finalised that somebody from the family will be given ticket to contest the Palghar by-election necessitated due to Chintaman Wanga's death," he said.

"I had spoken to Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray seeking support to the candidature of a member of the Wanga family around April 27-28. Thackeray welcomed the decision to give ticket to a family member, assured help and said that senior Sena leader (and state cabinet minister) Subhash Desai would discuss the issue with me," Fadnavis said.

He and Desai did hold talks about Sena's role in the by-election, but the talks remained inconclusive, Fadnavis said.

The chief minister said that on April 27 or 28 he got a message from Wanga's son, seeking appointment. "I immediately replied, asking him to come and meet me. I told my office to give him time after May 3, the last date of filing of nominations for the Legislative Council polls.

"On May 3 evening, I got to know from TV news that the family met Uddhav Thackeray saying that they were neglected by the BJP and they have now joined the Sena," Fadnavis said.

He said BJP leaders were in touch with the family. "How this misunderstanding was created...I am looking into it. May be due to local politics, some people told them that the family was not being considered for the by-election," he said.

"I am confident that the family will not do anything that will hurt the BJP. The BJP is their family. They are welcome anytime," Fadnavis said.