Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil files his nomination

Amid a massive show of strength, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil filed nomination papers for Kothrud Assembly constituency on Thursday. Chandrakant Patil first garlanded a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and then left for filing nomination papers with a huge motorbike rally. In a display of strength, Chandrakant Patil posted a picture of the number of people that showed up at the rally. His tweet translated to, “There is huge support from the public at the rally for the Kothrud Legislative Assembly. Thank you all for your love and support!” 

Replaced Medha Kulkarni

This year, he replaced the sitting BJP MLA Medha Kulkarni as the party's candidate in this Brahmin-dominated constituency, leading to angry reactions by the local workers and also by one Brahmin organisation. Pune MP Girish Bapat and Medha Kulkarni accompanied Patil as he filed his papers on Thursday. He took to Twitter and posted pictures of him filing the nomination papers. The Marathi tweet translates too, “Here are some highlights of the filing of nomination papers from the Kothrud Assembly constituency”. 

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Women join the rally 

Medha Kulkarni was reportedly disappointed after she was denied a ticket to accommodate Chandrakant Patil in the constituency. Posters had come up in the area demanding that a local candidate should be given the ticket and not an "outsider". The MNS has fielded Kishor Shinde from Kothrud seat in Pune city, against state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil. However, Chandrakant Patil shared a tweet saying that many women activists took part in the rally. The tweet translates to, “Woman power !!! A large number of women activists were present at the rally to fill the Kotharudh Assembly candidate. Many women activists took part in the bike ride. My salute to all these women's power!!" 

(With PTI Inputs)

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