Denied ticket, Khadse, Tawde say they accept party decision

Putting up a brave face after denial of ticket to contest the assembly polls in Maharashtra, senior BJP leaders Eknath Khadse and Vinod Tawde on Friday said they accept the decision of the party leadership.

Tawde, who is School Education Minister in the outgoing government, said he was introspecting why he was not renominated, but added he was committed to ensure the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance swept the October 21 assembly polls.

He said there was no question of leaving the party.

Khadse told PTI he has appealed to party workers in his constituency Muktainagar to ensure thumping victory for his daughter Rohini Khadse, who has been fielded by the BJP from the seat in North Maharashtra.

"It was a rumour that I was planning to contest as an independent after my name did not figure in the first list. I filed my candidature as a BJP candidate.

"The AB (nomination) form can be submitted on the last day of filling of nomination papers. If the AB form is not there (indicating a party's official nominee), the form automatically gets rejected," Khadse said.

The former minister refused to elaborate on whether the party leadership has communicated to him as to why he was denied ticket.

"Along with party workers, Rohini also felt I should get one more term as MLA to complete all the pending development projects in the constituency," he said.

"In my case, I feel the party wanted to give opportunity to a new face," Khadse said in reply to a question on the BJP giving new entrant Ganesh Naik the ticket replacing his son Sandeep from Airoli in Navii Mumbai.

"I will not comment on decisions of the party," Khadse said.

Tawde, the sitting MLA from suburban Borivali, said he was a loyal party worker.

The BJP has fielded Sunil Rane from Borivali.

"I am introspecting why I was denied ticket. The party will also think over why it took the decision. But, this is not the time to think who is wrong or right.

"I am a loyal BJP worker. My culture has taught to me that welfare of the nation and society is the main objective (of being in politics)," Tawde told reporters.

Tawde said he was in politics as an RSS and ABVP worker.

"I will surely discuss why I was denied ticket and whether the party was given wrong information about me," the minister said.

Tawde said he had got calls from supporters from different parts of the state. He said, "We are loyal party workers and all workers should unitedly fight the election to ensure the BJP-led alliance gets 2/3rd majority."