Maharashtra polls: BJP national spokesperson Gavit quits party over assembly seat
The state leadership had reportedly warned Heena Gavit of disciplinary action if she failed to step down from the contest
Mumbai: Bharatiya Janata Party's national spokesperson and former Nandurbar MP Heena Gavit resigned from the party's primary membership after defying alliance directives by opposing Shiv Sena-Shinde's Amashya Padvi in the Akkalkuwa constituency.
Gavit tendered her resignation to party leadership after refusing to withdraw her nomination against the Mahayuti alliance's official candidate Padvi. The state leadership had reportedly warned her of disciplinary action if she failed to step down from the contest. Earlier this year, Gavit lost her parliamentary seat to Goval Padvi, son of incumbent Akkalkuva MLA KC Padvi. Congress has renominated KC Padvi from Akkalkuwa.
In an interesting twist, Gavit's father, state tribal development minister Vijaykumar Gavit, remains the BJP candidate from the neighbouring Nandurbar constituency.
The resignation comes just one day after the state leadership threatened disciplinary action against party rebels.
"Heena has fielded herself in a bid to take revenge against KC Padvi, whose son defeated her after she served two consecutive terms in parliament. There is unrest among tribals against party policies, and this could be another reason behind her resignation, apart from the threat of action by the party," said a BJP leader from North Maharashtra.