In a major development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to withdraw the candidature of Murji Patel for the Andheri East by-poll, which is set to take place on November 3.

Patel is the joint candidate of the BJP and the ruling ally Shiv Sena faction headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

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State BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule made the announcement and asserted that Patel will withdraw his nomination papers on Monday evening, which is the last date for withdrawal.

The BJP’s decision arrived after appeals from an MLA of CM Shinde’s Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray, and other leaders from different parties.

Raj Thackeray in a surprising gesture, wrote to BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis requesting him to withdraw his party’s candidate so Rutuja Latke could win the bypolls unopposed.

In the letter addressed as “Dear friend Devendra”, Raj Thackeray mentioned: “I think by doing this we are paying tribute to the late representative of the people. To do so is also in line with the great culture of our Maharashtra. I hope you will accept my request.”

Answering to his letter, Mr Fadnavis replied, he could not take the decision alone and that the matter is important to be discussed with the senior party leaders and CM.

NCP Chief Sharad Pawar also urged to the BJP to withdraw its candidate.

“The term for the new member (MLA) will be just one-and-half years. The bypoll is being held because of the unfortunate death of Ramesh Latke. His contribution must be taken into consideration,” Mr. Pawar asserted.

After which, an MLA from the rival Eknath Shinde camp also penned to the Chief Minister that the BJP should not bring a candidate against Ms Latke as a tribute to her late husband. In his letter to Mr Shinde last evening, MLA Pratap Sarnaik remarked all parties should back Ms Latke and let her win the election.

Rutuja Latke is the candidate of Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena faction from her husband’s Andheri (East) constituency. Her BJP rival Murji Patel has now dropped out.

The Uddhav Thackeray faction has alleged that the Eknath Shinde faction of trying to sabotage their candidate ahead of the elections by influencing the Mumbai civic body to not act on her resignation.

Ms Latke, who worked in the Brihanmumbai Corporation as a clerk, could file her nomination for the bypolls only after a court ordered the civic body to accept her resignation.