Wrong to say BJP neglected late Palghar MP's family: Patil

Senior BJP leader Chandrakant Patil today said that the party leadership was looking into the issue of the family of late Palghar MP Chintaman Wanga joining the Shiv Sena.

In a jolt to the BJP ahead of the May 28 bypoll to the Palghar Lok Sabha seat, Wanga's sons - Srinivas and Praful Wanga - along with their mother Jayashree had yesterday joined the Sena in the presence of its president Uddhav Thackeray.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, the late MP's sons had accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP president Raosaheb Danve of neglecting the family after the death of their father and refusing audience despite their repeated requests.

Patil today said that he did not agree with the late MP's family's charge that the BJP was neglecting them.

"Wanga has been an MLA and MP for 35 years. It is wrong to say the party neglected the family," Patil.

He, however, added that he respected the sentiments of the family and stated that they were in public life on their own merit and hardwork.

Chintaman Wanga (67) was elected from Palghar on a BJP ticket in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. He died on January 30 this year in New Delhi.

Responding to a query on how the BJP would deal with this setback, in the run-up to the bypoll there, Patil said that Fadnavis and Danve were "seized of the matter".

He added that the BJP was confident of overcoming the situation.

"Discussions are underway as to which member from the late MP's family should be selected as the party's candidate for the Palghar Lok Sabha bypoll," Patil said.

He ruled out the possibility of state Tribal Development Minister Vishnu Savara or state Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule being nominees of the party for the Palghar and Bhandara-Gondia LS bypolls.

"They are handling the party's election campaign in the two constituencies," he told reporters, adding that "you don't have complete information".

Patil expressed happiness at the tie-up between the BJP and the Shiv Sena for the state Legislative Council polls saying that the two parties were of "one ideology, culture and vision".

"We may disagree on other occasions but we should work together for elections," Patil said.