Darade brothers make frantic efforts to get BJP-rebel Gokul Gite’s cooperation in Nashik MLC polla

Nashik: The Nashik legislative council constituency has plunged into political turmoil after a rebellion within Mahayuti, putting Shiv Sena candidate Narendra Darade’s re-election prospects at risk, with rebel BJP functionary Gokul Gite refusing to withdraw his independent candidature.

Senior ministers, including Girish Mahajan, Uday Samant and Dada Bhuse, met Gite on Monday to persuade him to back out, but he remained firm. “Backing off now would insult the voters supporting me,” Gite said, making it clear he would stay in the contest.

With fears of a split in alliance votes, both Narendra Darade and his brother, MLC Kishor Darade, have launched urgent efforts to contain the fallout. Kishor Darade reached out to Gokul Gite’s family, to meet elder brother Ganesh Gite, his wife Deepali Gite (an elector), in a bid to secure support, while Narendra Darade travelled to Mumbai seeking intervention from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Shiv Sena has also taken up the issue with deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The crisis has been further aggravated by controversial audio and video clips circulating on social media. Attempting damage control, Kishor Darade downplayed the remarks, calling them “harmless local slang that should not be taken seriously.” He also defended his nephew, Kunal Darade, stating, “Young man made no offensive statements and is willing to submit voice samples for forensic testing to prove his innocence.”

The standoff is particularly significant given that the Gite brothers are known supporters of minister Girish Mahajan, yet Gokul Gite has refused to relent even after direct appeals from senior leadership.

Meanwhile, uncertainty persists within the alliance over a possible resolution. A senior Shiv Sena functionary said, “The meetings are likely to be held late in the evening or Wednesday morning and that could bring out a clear picture.”