Can't stop leaders from leaving BJP if they insist on contesting seats held by allies: Bawankule

Nagpur, Aug 23 (PTI) Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Friday said they can't stop leaders from leaving the party if they insist on fighting the upcoming assembly polls on seats which are held by its allies in the ruling Mahayuti coalition.

He urged party members looking for poll tickets to show patience.

To queries from reporters in Nagpur about speculation that BJP leaders Samarjit Ghatge (from Akola) and Harshvardhan Patil (Pune district) may switch over to the opposition NCP (SP) if they don't get poll tickets from their preferred seats, Bawankule maintained if they decide to leave the saffron outfit, no one can stop them.

It is being said that Ghatge is eyeing a ticket from the Kagal constituency in Kolhapur district, while Patil is keen on contesting from his former seat Indapur in Pune district. Both these assembly seats are held by BJP ally NCP led by deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

The ruling Mahayuti consists of the BJP, the NCP and the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. On the other hand, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprises the Congress, the NCP (SP) and the Shiv Sena (UBT).

"We would like them (Ghatge and Patil) to wait, but if they have already decided (to switch sides) then we can't stop them from leaving. There are many leaders from the MVA as well who will be coming to us from there. It does not mean they will get a ticket. What I mean to say is that the party will decide (on giving tickets to its leaders) if they show patience," opined Bawankule.

Elections to the 288-member state assembly are due before November-end. PTI CLS RSY