Heena Gavit, former BJP MP, resigns from party to contest Akkalkuwa assembly seat as an independent

Herena Gavit is a two-time BJP MP from the Nandurbar Lok Sabha constituency. She is contesting the Akkalkuwa assembly seat as an independent and hence she resigned from the party.

Heena Gavit, former BJP MP, resigned from the party on Tuesday after she remained steadfast in contesting the assembly election as an independent in Maharashtra. Gavit is contesting the election from the Akkalkuwa assembly. She is a two-time MP from Nandurbar. 

On her decision of resigning from the party, she said,  "I have decided to contest the election from the Akkalkuwa Assembly as an independent candidate and hence I have decided to resign from the membership of the BJP."

She also made some shocking claims about Shiv Sena workers in Nandurbar. She said, "I have submitted this resignation as I don't want any problems for Mahayuti leaders due to me. In the Nandurbar constituency, the leaders and party workers of Shiv Sena are supporting the Congress candidate. I have told this to our leader Devendra Fadnavis and also to Shiv Sena leaders."

Rebels to be shown the door: Maharashtra BJP chief Bawankule

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekar Bawankule said the party will crack the whip against rebels and suspend them for six years. Notably, Monday was the last day for the withdrawal of nominations.

The rebellion by those who have been denied tickets has posed a headache for both the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the state ahead of the November 20 assembly polls. Senior BJP leader and former MP Gopal Shetty also filed for nomination as an independent but was persuaded by the BJP, following which he withdrew from the fray. 

The ruling BJP also managed to get some of the other rebels to withdraw their nominations. Bawankule said some rebels have tendered resignation, while the party will be removing some of them.

(With inputs from agencies)