Sulekha Kumbhare opts out

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had declared the first list of its candidates on Tuesday and surprisingly the name of Chandrashekhar Bawankule did not figure in it. It paved way to make rumors do rounds that BJP might field Adv Sulekha Kumbhare from Kamptee and Bawankule to contest from Katol. But Adv Sulekha Kumbhare, on Wednesday, convened a press conference and announced, she has no intention to contest elections. She has also made a demand to BJP decision-makers to field Bawankule from Kamptee. “BJP was ready to offer me ticket from Kamptee because of which the party did not declare the candidate of Kamptee.

But long back, I had decided not to contest direct elections so I said no to the offer. My Bahujan Republican Ekta Manch has extended unconditional support to BJP,” Adv Kumbhare made it clear while addressing a press conference at Nagpur Press Club on Wednesday. On the decision of Adv Prakash Ambedkar to contest election under the banner of Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi, Adv Kumbhare said, “Vanchit should have contested elections under the flag of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Republican Party of India (RPI). Adv Prakash Ambedkar should take a lead for the unification of Republican parties. If he does so, we will go with him.”

One more rumor was doing rounds, about Ashish Jaiswal, ex-MLA of Shiv Sena from Ramtek. Since BJP did not leave the seat for Sena, Ashish Jaiswal is likely to join BJP and will become its candidate. This rumor also had gone viral.