On the day of withdrawal of candidature for Nagpur division’s Teachers constituency polls, Mahavikas Aaghadi (MVA) has taken a U-turn by extending support to Sudhakar Adbale from Chandrapur. Two days ago MVA had officially announced that Gangadhar Nakade of Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Sena, a wing of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) will be its candidate. But on early night of Monday, MVA declared support to Adbale. Prior to MVA declaring support to Adbale, Gangadhar Nakade withdrew his candidature on Monday afternoon itself. Meanwhile, terming Satish Itkelwar as rebel candidate, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) suspended him. Itkelwar had filed his nomination as an Independent candidate defying NCP’s order of not to file nomination, the letter issued by NCP City President Duneshwar Pethe says.

A section of Congress had expressed displeasure over the MVA’s decision of supporting Nakade and demanded support either to Dr Rajendra Zade of Shikshak Bharati or Sudhakar Adbale of Vidarbha Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh. Congress talked to MVA leaders and requested them to make Adbale its candidate. MVA had already given Nagpur and Nashik to Shiv Sena. Now Sena will have only one division-- Nashik.

Monday was the last day of withdrawal when five candidates withdrew their nominations by 3 pm in presence of Divisional Commissioner Dr Vijayalaxmi Bidari. They include Neelkanth Uike, Atul Ruikar, Mukesh Pudke, Mrityunjay Singh and Gangadhar Nakade. A total of 27 candidates had filed nominations. After the withdrawal of five candidates, 22 remained in fray. Shikshak Bharati workers have expressed disappointment over the decision of MVA to declare support to Adbale. Shikshak Bharati claimed that it helped Congress during the Graduates polls and now it was the turn of Congress to extend support to Dr Rajendra Zade.