The BJP leadership tried to convince Gopal Shetty to take back his nomination from the Borivali Assembly seat. (Photo: X/@iGopalShetty)

Gopal Shetty firm on contesting Maharashtra polls: Lotus in my heart, but...

A meeting was called between Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Gopal Shetty to convince the latter to take back his nomination as an independent candidate from the Borivali Assembly seat. But according to sources, the talks have failed and Shetty will contest polls.

02 Nov 2024, 14:41 by Saurabh Vaktania · India Today

In Short

Gopal Shetty files independent nomination after exclusion from BJP list
BJP fails to convince Shetty to withdraw independent nomination
Shetty meets Devendra Fadnavis to resolve impasse over Borivali seat

The efforts by the BJP to convince senior party leaders to take back his nomination as an Independent candidate from the high-profile Borivali Assembly seat failed on Saturday, sources informed India Today TV.

Two-time Mumbai North Lok Sabha MP, Shetty, on October 29, filed his nomination as an Independent candidate from the Borivali assembly seat after his name did not figure in the fourth list of candidates announced by the BJP.

Speaking to the media, Shetty said, "I am going to contest elections. I am not against the party (BJP). I will never leave the BJP party. Few people in BJP are against it. I am fighting against those people".

"I will never leave BJP. After meeting Devendraji Fadnavis and Shivprakashji, Gopalji Shetty has assured that he will not do anything that will harm the party," Tawde said.

"Kamal (lotus), BJP's election symbol, is in my heart and brain. Even if the party removes me, I will not leave the party. In the end, the party has to maintain some discipline. I will not go to any other party," the former Lok Sabha MP said.

Earlier in the day, Shetty also met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other party leaders to clear the impasse over the Borivali.

Vinod Tawde' post on X about the meeting of BJP leaders with Gopal Shetty.

After the meeting, BJP leader Vinod Tawde shared photos of the meeting and said that Shetty would not do anything that "will harm the party".

Shetty, who won the Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat by margins of more than four lakh in 2014 and 2019, was denied a ticket in the 2024 general elections. The seat was won by senior BJP leader Piyush Goyal, who is now Union minister.

Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly will be held on November 20, and the counting of votes will take place three days later.

The BJP is contesting the election as part of the Mahayuti alliance with Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) and Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) as its key alliance partners.