More BJP politicians quit party to contest assembly election

Nashik: Three more functionaries have quit BJP and filed their nominations as independents after the party denied them tickets to contest the assembly election.Former MLA Shirish Chaudhari from the Amalner assembly constituency in Jalgaon district has decided to contest the assembly poll after Anil Patil was declared NCP candidate from the seat. Similarly, BJP's Kalwan taluka president Ramesh Thorat has also filed his nominations, challenging the party's decision. Chaudhari said, "I told the party that I will contest the election. Last time, I lost by a very slender margin. But as the party did not pat heed to me and gave the ticket to NCP, I have no option but to contest as an independent." Chaudhari said he was more confident in contesting the election as an independent as it gave him freedom of choice and work. Thorat, who has also filed his nomination as an independent, said, "I had been preparing to contest the seat that would help the BJP expand in the tribal belt. I had been in touch with the party officials. But now they say that NCP will contest the seat and have announced the ticket for Nitin Pawar. I, therefore, filed my nomination," he said.BJP's Rajendra Pipada has also filed his nomination as an independent from Shirdi constituency, challenging revenue minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. Pipada was defeated by Vikhe Patil in 2009. These 3 functionaries are in addition to former Nashik BJP corporator Dinkar Patil, who joined MNS and given the ticket to contest the Nashik West constituency. Disgruntled BJP functionary Keda Aher has also decided to contest as an independent against his brother from Deola-Chandwad assembly constituency. State BJP general secretary Vijay Chaudhari said the state BJP unit was keeping a tab on the party dissidents and would take appropriate decisions at the right juncture. "While backdoor channels are working to pacify people, party seniors will travel to Nashik at the right time after the last day of filing nominations," he said.
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