Section of BJP opposes Gavit's nomination from Palghar

A section of BJP workers and leaders in the district have opposed the candidature of Rajendra Gavit, who recently quit the party to join the Shiv Sena that nominated him for the Palghar Lok Sabha seat.

Gavit, a tribal leader, had joined the BJP last year after quitting the Congress and won the Palghar Lok Sabha seat in a bypoll. On Tuesday, he quit the BJP and joined ally Shiv Sena, which nominated him from the same constituency.

As part of the pre-poll alliance between the BJP and the Sena, the Palghar seat adjoining Mumbai fell in the latter's kitty.

During a meeting of some BJP workers and leaders in Palghar on Thursday, they opposed Gavit's candidature saying the BJP had committed a mistake in giving the seat to Shiv Sena.

BJP Palghar district president and Talasari MLA Pascal Dhanare, who led the meeting, said, "We have been working hard since months to elect the BJP nominee from the constituency and our efforts have now gone in vain."