Mumbai, February 24: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said the contest in the Kasba Assembly byelecion here was ideological, between those who supported the abrogation of Article 370 and those who opposed the move.
He was addressing a campaign rally ahead of February 26 election, necessitated by the death of BJP MLA Mukta Tilak.
The fight was not just between the BJP’s Hemant Rasne and Congress’s Ravindra Dhangekar, Fadnavis said.
“Kasba constituency is Hindutva-vadi. Now, the contest is not between just Rasne and Dhangekar, it is between those who appreciated the move when Article 370 (which gave a special status to Jammu and Kashmir) was scrapped and those who opposed it,” he said.
Union minister and Republican Party of India chief Ramdas Athawale, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashkehar Bawankule and Pune guardian minister Chandrakant Patil were present during the rally.
Fadnavis also assured that the issue of redevelopment of old `Wada’ buildings in Kasba Peth would get due consideration.
During a campaign meeting held by NCP chief Sharad Pawar, a leader from his party made a communal remark, Fadnavis alleged.
.
.