Maharashtra: No need for wild guesses, will tell all in time, says Praful Patel

Praful Patel after filing his nomination at Vidhan Bhavan. Pic/Atul Kamble

Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) leader Praful Patel, who has filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha contest even though he still has four years of his current Rajya Sabha term left, said that some things are best unsaid. "Wait for some time to know why I have filed the nomination when my term is still not over. The decision is part of a political strategy. There is no fear [of disqualification as the opposition said]. People are making wild guesses. We need to do such things in politics. Time will tell why I have done this," he told the media after filing the nomination on Thursday.

Other than Patel, BJP's Ashok Chavan, Medha Kulkarni and Dr Ajit Gopchade, Milind Deora (Shinde Sena) and Chandrant Handore (Congress) submitted their candidature for six vacancies. Polling will be held if more than six candidates remain in the fray. People in the know said that Patel's act was perhaps the first such in the Parliamentary polls. The MP, who is expected to resign the current term, said, "It does not mean that things that have never happened in the country won't happen ever. Such novel developments will continue to happen under the leadership of Ajit Pawar. You will have to wait to know the reason behind my nomination," he added.

However, Patel did say what would happen to the vacancy his resignation created. He said a by-poll for the remaining period could be held in May. "That vacancy will also be for us to fill. We have discussed it with our Mahayuti partners," said Patel.