Gaikwad Patil to campaign for NCP candidate in MLC polls

AURANGABAD: Former Union minister Jaysingrao Gaikwad Patil has said that his aim is to defeat the BJP in the Maharashtra Legislative Council’s graduates’ constituency polls and he will be campaigning for the NCP candidate in the region.

The senior leader resigned from the BJP on Tuesday, citing that the saffron party had not given him an opportunity to work for it.

Speaking to PTI on Tuesday night, Gaikwad Patil said, “Defeating the BJP candidate is my aim in this election. I have decided to campaign for Satish Chavan not because he is from the NCP, but because I think he is the right candidate to defeat the BJP in the region.”

“I plan to travel across the region to campaign for Chavan,” he added.

Meanwhile, 10 candidates have withdrawn their nomination forms for the graduates’ constituency polls in Marathwada region, an official said on Wednesday.

A total of 45 candidates had submitted their nomination forms for the polls, which are scheduled to be held on December 1.

Following the withdrawal of 10 candidates, 35 are left in the race from Aurangabad, Beed, Latur, Jalna and Nanded districts, the official said.

Over 3.4 lakh voters will be exercising their franchise in the polls, which will take place on December 1, while counting will be conducted on December 3.