Supporters of leaders protest against BJP chief’s house

Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president and revenue minister Chandrakant Patil had to cancel his programme, “Karyakarta Karta Dharta” after supporters of BJP leaders who have not been given tickets gathered outside his residence in Mumbai.

Sources in the BJP said that as senior leader and cabinet minister Vinod Tawde and MLA Sudhakar Bhalerao from Udgir did not feature in the first list of candidates, Mr Tawde’s supporters reached Mr Patil’s residence at A-9 bungalow near Mantralaya while Mr Bhalerao’s supporters protested in front of Mr Patil’s vehicle.

A source said, “Mr Tawde held a meeting with Mr Patil which delayed the programme. Therefore, it was cancelled.”

Veteran leader Eknath Khadse, senior leader Prakash Mehta, and BJP chief whip Raj Purohit, too, did not feature in the first list of candidates.

Mr Khadse said that he was disappointed. “I have been working genuinely for the party since the last 40 years. Despite that, why have I been given such treatment? I am going to ask ‘Aakana’ (the bosses) the same. At least they should inform me what fault I have committed,” he said.

Amidst this, a “rasta roko” was held at Ausa in Latur district to protest chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’s private assistant Abhimanyu Pawar being nominated in the first list. Traders, party workers and office bearers of the BJP also expressed their resentment over the party’s denial of ticket to Mr Purohit in the first list.