BJP backs Ganar for 3rd term, Cong bets on SS (UBT)

Nagpur: Ending months of suspense, BJP finally decided to extend support to Nago Ganar for the upcoming teachers constituency polls in the Nagpur division comprising six districts.
Buoyed by the saffron party’s support, the Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Parishad (MRSP) candidate would be eyeing his third term in the Maharashtra legislative council.
On other hand, Congress is yet to open its cards though it had announced that it would contest the polls jointly with its Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners — Shiv Sena and NCP.
MPCC president Nana Patole told TOI that the party would not contest directly in the Nagpur division but would field its candidate for Amravati graduates’ constituency polls.
Meanwhile, the Uddhav Thackray-led Sena nominated its candidate Gangadhar Nakade, who later filed his nomination with the collector’s office here for the Nagpur division seat. Till Wednesday, 13 candidates have filed 19 nomination forms.
NCP state president Jayant Patil announced that the MVA constituents declared to fight all five seats in the state in collaboration. NCP would fight Marathwada seat, the Sena (UBT) would contest Nagpur seat, Peasants Workers Party (PWP) would put up its candidate in Konkan, while Congress would nominate its candidates for Amravati and Nashik elections.
Patole refused to name Congress candidate’s name from for Amravati polls to TOI stating that he will accompany him on Thursday morning for filing up of nomination form. However, the party sources said Dheeraj Lingade, who was originally from the Shiv Sena, was already finalized and he would officially file a nomination on the party symbol on Thursday.
An elated Ganar told TOI that he would file his nomination forms on Thursday at the collectorate. “I thank BJP for reposing faith in me. For the last 12 years I have been raising the voices of the teachers’ community in the upper house and questioned the government even if it was of BJP on several issues. In future as well, I will continue to raise the teachers’ issues and would be part of any policy decision related to them.”
Ganar, having over 32 years teaching experience, expressed confidence that he would emerge victorious with a bigger margin than previous terms. “I am sure to get over 50% of first preference votes and would win in the first round only. In 2017 polls, I won by 4,840 votes against rival Rajendra Zade of Shikshak Bharti. I secured 12,039 votes, while Zade garnered 5,276.”
The two would again come face to face as Zade has again filed nomination this year.
The BJP has reposed faith in Dr Ranjit Patil for Amravati graduates’ constituency seat for the second time. It has nominated Dnyaneshwar Mhatre and Kiran Patil for teachers’ constituency seats in Konkan and Aurangabad divisions.