Mahayuti resolves Jalgaon rebellion as Sena candidate Reshma Kale steps back

2 min readMumbaiJun 13, 2026 07:34 PM IST

Under the alliance arrangement, the Nashik seat had gone to the Shinde-led Sena. But BJP rebel Gokul Gite stayed in the contest and withdrew only after days of talks involving senior BJP and Sena leaders. (File)

After Nashik, the ruling Mahayuti on Saturday resolved its second internal rebellion in the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections after Shiv Sena candidate Reshma Kale stepped back from the Jalgaon local authorities constituency contest, days after BJP rebel Gokul Gite withdrew from the Nashik seat.

Polling for elections to 16 Maharashtra Legislative Council seats is scheduled on June 18, with counting on June 22. In North Maharashtra, the alliance had been facing trouble in both Nashik and Jalgaon after local leaders from BJP and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena rebelled against seat-sharing decisions.

Under the alliance arrangement, the Nashik seat had gone to the Shinde-led Sena. But BJP rebel Gokul Gite stayed in the contest and withdrew only after days of talks involving senior BJP and Sena leaders.

In Jalgaon, the seat was allotted to the BJP, which fielded Nandkishor Mahajan. Soon after, Reshma Kale, associated with the Shinde-led Sena, filed her nomination as an independent and refused to withdraw, creating a problem for the alliance.

For the last few days, senior leaders from both parties were trying to resolve the issue. Till two days ago, Kale had publicly said she had received no instructions from party leadership and would continue campaigning.

The deadlock ended after Gite withdrew and Kale met Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Senior BJP leader Girish Mahajan and minister Gulabrao Patil later confirmed that she had agreed to step back.

“Withdrawal happened late. It took time, but it has happened,” Girish Mahajan said.

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Mahajan said Kale accepted the request made by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde, though disappointment after being denied a ticket was natural.

The nomination withdrawal deadline has already passed, so Kale’s name will remain on the ballot. Leaders said the Shinde-led Sena will now campaign for the BJP candidate.

The back-to-back rebellions in Nashik and Jalgaon exposed friction inside Mahayuti over seat-sharing, with BJP leaders unhappy in Nashik after the seat went to Shiv Sena and Sena leaders unhappy in Jalgaon after the BJP got the seat.

With Gokul Gite stepping back in Nashik and Reshma Kale now withdrawing politically in Jalgaon, Mahayuti has managed to settle both disputes ahead of polling.