‘Will introspect denial of ticket’

Mumbai: After being denied a ticket for the upcoming Assembly elections, BJP leader and former education minister Vinod Tawde said that his party had not given any reason for the action but his seniors would be in the know.

Mr Tawde said that he would participate in the poll campaign and continue to work for the BJP.

Many eyebrows were raised after the BJP denied tickets to senior leaders Mr Tawde, Eknath Khadse and Chandrashekhar Bawa-nkule.

On Thursday, Mr Khadse had clarified his position on not getting a ticket this time.

Subsequently, Mr Tawde, too, held a press conference Friday, where he told media persons that he was introspecting the reason behind denying him a ticket.

“I am a swayamsevak of the RSS and also a worker of the Vidyarthi Parishad. Our main motto is to build the nation and carry out social reforms. Posts like that of MLA, Opposition leader and party president are stations along the journey. I want to work for people, especially poor people,” Mr Tawde said.

Commenting on the denial of ticket, he said, “I will definitely speak with the senior party leaders and rectify my mistakes. I believe that wrong information has been provided about me to senior leaders.”

Mr Tawde said that he wanted the BJP and Mahayuti (grand alliance) to win two-third of the seats in Maharashtra and therefore, working together was a must.

Rubbishing speculation that he would join the NCP, Mr Tawde said, “I am dedicated to the RSS, Vidyarthi Parishad and BJP and therefore, such a thought has not even come into my mind.”