NCP MLA Narhari Zirwal’s son keen to contest polls against father in Dindori

When asked if he was ready to contest against his own father, Narhari Zirwal, he responded saying he would certainly consider it if the party allowed him

Mumbai: Gokul Zirwal, son of NCP MLA and deputy speaker of the legislative assembly Narhari Zirwal, on Tuesday attended the NCP (SP) convention in Nashik and said he would like to contest the assembly election from Dindori as the party’s candidate. Speaking to reporters after attending the convention, he said he had always supported the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and would not mind contesting against his father if NCP (SP) gave him an opportunity.

Gokul Zirwal

“I am mentally prepared to contest (from the Dindori assembly seat). Party workers have the same desire, but it all depends upon the party,” Gokul Zirwal said in response to a question on him contesting the assembly poll from Dindori.

“Whoever is the candidate (in the assembly polls), will work for him,” he stated.

When asked if he was ready to contest against his own father, Narhari Zirwal, he responded saying he would certainly consider it if the party allowed him. “Family and politics are different arrangements. Politically, I have always been with the MVA coalition,” he said.

Zirwal said that during the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, he supported the NCP (SP) candidate from Nashik, Bhaskar Bhagare, who defeated union minister of state Dr Bharati Pawar by a sizeable margin.

Gokul’s father Narhari Zirwal had, after the split in the NCP last year, sided with the faction headed by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. But he was also seen hobnobbing with MVA leaders, including in one of the campaign meetings of Bhagare. While it was speculated that he had covertly helped Bhagare in the Lok Sabha poll, he had claimed that he was invited by the villagers to attend prayers at the Hanuman temple.

The senior Zirwal had also extended an olive branch to the MVA during the legislative council polls earlier this month by extending support to Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Sandeep Gulve for the Nashik teachers’ constituency, although he stressed that he would not leave Ajit Pawar.