Offered Governor’s post by Shah to give up Amravati: Anandrao Adsul

Former Shiv Sena MP from Amravati Anandrao Adsul said that he was offered a Governor’s post by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to withdraw his claim on the Amravati seat which he represented for two terms.

“Amit Shah had called me when the seat distribution was on. He asked me not to contest from Amravati. I told him that the contestant they were planning to field could not win and she had a court case pending. Shah told me that they will take care of it. He asked me what I want and then offered to make me a Governor,” Adsul said. He added that he then decided to withdraw from the fray but said that similar assurances had been given to him by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for the past 20 months.

Adsul represented the Amravati Lok Sabha seat in 2009 and 2014. In 2019, he was defeated by NCP-backed independent Navneet Rana, who has now switched to the BJP. Adsul was said to have been keen on contesting the seat on a Shiv Sena ticket but backed out due to BJP’s preference for Rana.

Adsul had also targeted Rana claiming that her win from the seat was difficult. "The prevailing sentiment is against Navneet Rana, so I'm uncertain about her chances of winning. Rana has merely engaged in theatrics and sensationalism for the past five years, which hasn't resonated with the people. Neither the BJP workers nor the voters support her. I'm unsure how she can secure a victory," he added.

Adsul is the second Shiv Sena leader to speak out in favour of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance after Gajanan Kirtikar, who had earlier said that the MVA would put up a good fight in the elections.

The statement had rankled leaders in the Shinde Shiv as well as in the BJP with party leaders calling for action against Kirtikar.

Adsul, meanwhile, defended Kirtikar stating that he was a senior leader who was entitled to his views.

Following Adsul's remarks on Saturday, Sanjay Shirsat, Sena MLA and party spokesperson, cautioned senior leaders against making statements detrimental to party unity. Shirsat warned that continued dissent within the party might prompt the party leadership to seek action from CM Shinde.

"Kirtikar should have refrained from commenting on his son and the MVA. He fell into the opposition's trap and spoke out. He should have remained silent. Now, Shindei will decide on his expulsion. Adsul, like Kirtikar, is a senior leader. I urge all senior leaders to avoid making controversial statements. Otherwise, we'll have to request Shinde to rein them in or relieve them of their party duties and take appropriate action," Shirsat said.