Pune: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken steps to eliminate the candidacy of two key aspirants in the Parvati and Pune Cantonment assembly constituencies by assigning them influential positions in state advisory boards.

Former BJP House Leader Shrinath Bhimale, who was preparing to challenge incumbent MLA Madhuri Misal in the Parvati constituency, has been appointed as the chairman of the State Contract Labor Advisory Board.

Similarly, Dilip Kamble, former Minister of State and an aspirant from the Pune Cantonment constituency, has been named as the chairman of the Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe Development Corporation.

Shrinath Bhimale, a loyalist of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, had been actively preparing for the upcoming elections in the Parvati assembly constituency.

His candidacy posed a challenge to the current MLA, Madhuri Misal, who has held the seat for three consecutive terms. Bhimale had even applied for the necessary "no objection" certificate from the Municipal Corporation, signaling his intention to contest.

However, following his appointment to the advisory board, party insiders now speculate that he will not receive the nomination for the election.

In the Pune Cantonment constituency, a reserved seat currently represented by Sunil Kamble, his brother Dilip Kamble was expected to be the BJP candidate.

Despite this speculation, Dilip Kamble’s recent appointment to the Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe Development Corporation suggests he will not be part of the electoral contest.

Meanwhile, BJP Vice President Rajesh Pandey, who had been expressing interest in either contesting from the Shivajinagar constituency or securing a legislative council seat through the Governor’s nomination quota, has been assigned the Maharashtra State Warehousing Corporation.

With this new appointment, discussions surrounding his electoral aspirations have also ceased.