By PTI
MUMBAI: The Congress on Thursday announced support for an independent candidate after its official nominee for a seat in the Maharashtra Legislative Council from Nagpur, Dr Ravindra Bhoyar, purportedly expressed inability to contest.
With polling set to take place on Friday, the Congress said it will support Mangesh Sudhakar Deshmukh, an independent.
Its allies in the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi, the Shiv Sena and NCP, too will support Deshmukh, the party said.
Bhoyar, a veteran RSS worker, had joined the Congress only last month.
State Congress vice president Mohan Joshi said in a letter to the party’s Nagpur district head Vikas Thakre, “Dr Bhoyar has expressed his inability to contest the MLC election for which voting is scheduled tomorrow.
“As per the approval of the central committee and state party president Nana Patole, it has been decided to vote for independent candidate Mangesh Sudhakar Deshmukh. All the voters of the MVA are asked to vote for Deshmukh,” Joshi said.
Corporators and municipal council members from Nagpur district are eligible to cast votes in the election.
The BJP has fielded former state minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule in the contest.
Bhoyar, a long-time RSS worker who was elected as corporator on BJP ticket four times, joined the Congress last month.
He did not respond to phone calls for seeking his comment on the dramatic development.
Mangesh Deshmukh is a member of the Mahadula Municipal Council in Nagpur district.
Nagpur Collector Vimla R, meanwhile, informed at a press conference that the election will be held from 8 am to 4 pm at 15 centres in the district.
A total of 559 voters including 155 from Municipal Corporation, 71 from Zilla and Nagar Parishads and 333 from Nagar Panchayats will be eligible to vote.
Counting of votes will take place on December 14.
