NCP's Nana Kate claims MLC candidacy in Maharashtra

Nana Kate, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) politician from Pimpri Chinchwad, has claimed one of the five legislative council seats set for bypolls in Maharashtra on March 27. These seats became vacant after the previous representatives were elected to the state assembly. Kate mentioned that party chief Ajit Pawar had promised him a future opportunity in politics when he withdrew his nomination during the assembly elections. This decision allowed BJP candidate Shankar Jagtap to compete as the official Mahayuti representative. He also noted that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis encouraged him to step back from the election, with the promise of future support from the BJP. Support for Kate is growing, as local party members and former corporators have started a signature campaign to back his bid for the MLC seat. Kate plans to send a letter to the NCP leadership requesting a ticket for the upcoming election. He expressed hope that Pawar would fulfill his earlier promise. Currently, BJP holds two MLAs and two MLCs from Pimpri Chinchwad, while NCP has just one MLA. Kate stressed the importance of NCP gaining more representation in the area, especially with municipal elections approaching later this year. He also stated that he worked hard to help Jagtap win and feels the BJP should acknowledge his support. Prior to the assembly elections, NCP leaders from Pimpri Chinchwad had raised concerns with Pawar about the lack of opportunities for their members. They felt overlooked, as no NCP leaders received tickets for the MLC or Rajya Sabha elections. They also noted that BJP had given many of its supporters local appointments. Following these complaints, Pawar assured he would consider their requests for future roles.