BJP's move to field Navneet Rana from Amravati invites wrath of some 'Mahayuti' constituents

BJP's decision to field Navneet Rana from Amravati Lok Sabha seat sparks criticism from ruling allies in Maharashtra.

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) decision to induct independent MP Navneet Rana into the party and fielding her from the Amravati Lok Sabha seat has not gone down well with some ruling allies in Maharashtra as they termed the development as “downfall of democracy” and “political suicide”.

Ms. Rana, who currently represents the Amravati Lok Sabha seat, joined the ruling BJP at the party's State unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule's residence in Nagpur along with her supporters, on Wednesday night (March 27.)

The BJP's Central Election Committee announced her name as the party candidate for the Amravati seat, and Mr. Bawankule said she would file her election nomination on April 4.

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However, the development has invited criticism not only from the Opposition Congress, but also from independent MLA Bacchu Kadu, an ally of the ruling side, and former MP Anandrao Adsul, who belongs to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Mr. Kadu described Ms. Rana's candidature as the "downfall of democracy" and said she has to be defeated, while Mr. Adsul termed the move as Mahayuti's "political suicide" and announced that even if his party does not support him, he would fight against her as an independent candidate.

Ms. Rana had won the 2019 Lok Sabha election as an independent candidate against the undivided Shiv Sena's then MP Adsul from the Amravati constituency. However, soon there were allegations against her of submitting a fake caste certificate.