India, June 6 -- Two Mahayuti cabinet ministers - BJP's Girish Mahajan and Shiv Sena's Uday Samant - have reached out to rebel BJP candidate Gokul Gite, who is contesting the Nashik MLC (Local Authorities Constituency) election as an independent.

The ministers, who arrived in Nashik on Friday, held separate meetings with Gite and urged him to withdraw from the contest to benefit the official Mahayuti candidate and Shiv Sena leader Narendra Darade.

Speaking to reporters, both leaders confirmed that they had requested Gite to back out.

"I have requested Gokul to withdraw from the fray. I am extremely optimistic that he will agree to our request," Samant said.

However, Gite remained firm on his decision to contest. "I have already starte...