Damodar Shingda Cong nominee for Palghar Lok Sabha bypoll

The Congress today announced the candidature of former party MP Damodar Shingda for the May 28 bypoll to Palghar Lok Sabha constituency, adjoining Mumbai, on a day party leader Rajendra Gavit crossed over to the BJP and was nominated as a candidate.

Talking to reporters, Maharashtra unit Congress president Ashok Chavan said the people would teach "traitors" a lesson, hours after Gavit, a tribal leader and former minister, joined the BJP in presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state unit BJP chief Raosaheb Danve.

Chavan criticised the BJP for inducting Gavit into its fold.

"Fadnavis says that it was wrong on part of the Shiv Sena to nominate late MP Chintaman Wanga's son as its candidate (for the Palghar bypoll)....So, Shiv Sena's conduct is wrong and yours is right," Chavan said referring to Gavit's defection.

Referring to Fadnavis' remarks that Gavit was in touch with the BJP for some time, Chavan asked, "Is it democratically right to give members of other parties the tickets to contest elections on your symbol?"