RPI(A) to support BJP in MLC elections

The Republican Party of India (A) has decided to support the BJP's candidates for the forthcoming Legislative Council elections to five seats.

The elections to five seats will be held on February 3, of which two seats are from graduate constituency and rest from teachers' constituency segment.

"RPI (A) will support BJP's candidates for all five seats," said Suresh Barsing, national secretary of the party.

The dalit party, headed by Union minister Ramdas Athawale, is an ally of the BJP-led governments in Centre and Maharashtra.

BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said, "the local party workers have extensively enrolled new voters for graduate constituencies and teachers constituencies. We are hopeful of winning the graduate constituency of Nashik. BJP already holds Amravati seat, represented by MoS (Home) Ranjit Patil. With support from RPI (A), we are hopeful of winning the Nashik seat as well."
 

BJP has replaced Ramnath Mote, sitting MLC from Konkan teachers' constituency by Venunath Kadu. Nago Ganar, who represents Nagpur teachers' constituency and supported by BJP is going to contest the election as BJP-supported candidate. BJP has fielded Satish Patki from Aurangabad teachers' constituency who will take on NCP's sitting MLC Vikram Kale.

Nashik graduate constituency is currently represented by Congress' Sudhir Tambe. BJP has fielded Prashant Patil from the same constituency, Bhandari said.