Andheri East bypoll: BJP withdraws its candidate in support of Udddhav faction's Rutuja Latke

Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], October 17 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday withdraw its candidate from the Andheri East by-election.
The move was made in support of Uddhav Thackeray faction's candidate Rutuja Latke, as it withdrew its candidate Murji Patel from the seat.
The announcement was made by Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the BJP Maharashtra President in Nagpur.
Andheri East bye-election is slated to take place on November 3, this year.
Addressing mediapersons here, he said "The BJP coalition has decided to not contest Mumbai's Andheri East assembly by-election and our candidate Murji Patel will withdraw the nomination. It is a collective decision by both the central and the state leadership."
The BJP leader further said that the party wants Rutuja Latke, the candidate from Uddhav's Shiv Sena faction to win the elections.
"We are taking back our candidate as we want Latke Ji to win the elections. BJP will be contesting the seat in the 2024 elections," he said.
"We were sure of our victory but BJP has been doing this in the state for a long time. This is an example for people that although we were winning, we've taken back our nomination. This is a good decision by Devendra Fadnavis," he further said.
Rutuja Latke, the widow of late Ramesh Latke was pitted by the Shiv Sena camp led by Thackrey for the Andheri East bye-elections after the Bombay High court on Thursday asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to accept the resignation of Rutuja Latke.
Moreover, when Rutuja Latke was asked about reports of contact with the Shinde faction she said, "My husband was loyal to Uddhav Ji and our family is loyal to him only and if I will ever contest election then it will be for a symbol of "Marshal" only."
Earlier, Maharashtra Navirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray also requested Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis not to field a BJP candidate against Rutuja Latke in the upcoming Andheri East Assembly by-polls in respect to the late MLA Ramesh Latke.
In a letter to Fadnavis, the MNS chief said, "I am writing this letter with a special request. After the sudden death of MLA. Ramesh Latke, for the Andheri East, the by-poll election has been announced. His widow, Rujuta Latke has filed in for candidature for the same."
Thackeray further said that Ramesh was an efficient worker who began his journey up from being a 'shakha-pramukh'.
It is reported that Fadnavis accepted that he has received the letter and said that he will discuss this with his party and senior leaders in this regard.
(ANI)