NASHIK: State BJP vice-president Manik Kokate on Wednesday warned that he will contest from the Nashik Lok Sabha constituency as an independent if his party fails to nominate him. Shiv Sena and BJP have formed an alliance and the Nashik seat is traditionally held by Sena.Kokate claimed that he has already informed chief minister Devendra Fadnavis about his intention to contest the polls from Nashik. Kokate has considerable influence in the Sinnar area of the city.“The BJP stands a better chance to win the Nashik seat. We have MLAs from the constituency. Moreover, the party has won the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) polls. I am keen on contesting from Nashik,” he said.Of the six assembly segments in Nashik, BJP has three seats, all of them in Nashik city (urban areas), Shiv Sena holds Deolali and Congress holds Trimbakeshwar-Igatpuri constituency.A BJP leader said, “Kokate had done preparations to contest the elections because Shiv Sena was adamant on fighting the elections alone. However, the last-minute alliance between BJP and Sena has put Kokate in a fix.”Kokate had even put up hoardings across the city projecting himself as people’s candidate before the model code of conduct came into force. “I want to contest the LS polls because I have a large number of followers in the Sinnar taluka . I am confident Fadnavis will consider my case,” he said.The BJP vice-president also suggested that the party can stake claim to Nashik parliamentary constituency in exchange of another constituency with Shiv Sena. “The seat-sharing is being finalized. The party can easily demand some other constituency in lieu of Sinnar seat and the issue can be resolved,” he said.Both BJP and Sena sources said that if Kokate contests the elections, he could harm the chances of the NDA nominee by eating into the votes in some pockets of the constituency.“We are sure that the high command would be able to convince Kokate not to contest as an independent,” said a BJP functionary.

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