Rahuri, April 6 (NationPress) The State President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) from the Sharad Pawar faction, Shashikant Shinde, revealed on Monday that Govind Mokate will be the party's official choice for the upcoming bypoll in the Rahuri Assembly constituency.

This announcement poses a significant setback for the Opposition coalition, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), particularly for the NCP-SP, as their initial candidate and former Minister, Prajakt Tanpure, unexpectedly withdrew from the race after a meeting with State BJP president Ravindra Chavan.

The need for this bypoll arose following the passing of Shivajirao Kardile, the BJP MLA who had previously defeated sitting MLA Tanpure during the 2024 Assembly elections.

The BJP has nominated Kardile's son, Akshay Kardile, to contest in the bypoll scheduled for March 23. On Monday, Akshay submitted his nomination with the support of State BJP chief Ravindra Chavan and senior minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.

Shashikant Shinde stated, “We have chosen Govind Mokate as our candidate. All parties in the Maha Vikas Aghadi have pledged their support, and we are dedicated to achieving victory.”

When questioned about Tanpure's unexpected exit from the race, Shinde remarked that Tanpure was hesitant to run but felt pressured by the electorate.

“He communicated his reluctance to contest, but he regarded the sentiments of his supporters as paramount. We were in contact until 1 p.m. today, and it was ultimately concluded that he would withdraw, resulting in our selection of Govind Mokate,” explained Shinde.

Prior to this, BJP leaders Chavan and Vikhe Patil met with Tanpure and after an extensive closed-door discussion, it seemed Tanpure's decision about the Rahuri bypoll had shifted dramatically.

According to BJP insiders, while the meeting was initiated by Chavan and Vikhe Patil, the real influence behind the decision was Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Despite being on a campaign trip in Kerala, CM Fadnavis personally contacted Tanpure through a call facilitated by Chavan.

The Chief Minister assured Tanpure that the State Government would address all developmental concerns and grievances related to the Rahuri constituency. Following this assurance, Tanpure opted to withdraw from the electoral race.

During a recent Budget Session of the State Legislature, Tanpure had expressed his interest in contesting the bypoll. However, sources indicate he was also seeking a BJP nomination for the same.

His recent social media posts, depicting him in saffron attire, sparked rumors of a potential switch to the BJP for the bypoll.

On the final day for nominations, Tanpure reportedly became unreachable. The MVA ally, the Congress party, had already declared their readiness to contest the seat if NCP-SP chose not to participate.

Throughout Monday morning, the NCP-SP conducted discussions at their party headquarters in Mumbai, leading to the decision to nominate Mokate.