India, June 2 -- Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, who is fighting a cold war against the BJP, and trying to expand party's base in Maharashtra to counter his Mahayuti ally, on Monday nominated Saeed Khan, chief of the party's minority cell, from the Parbhani-Hingoli constituency for the legislative council polls. Parbhani-Hingoli has a significant Muslim population.

The NCP led by deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar is the single largest party in Parbhani-Hingoli with 131 seats. Shinde has only 77 seats but nevertheless succeeded in wresting the seat for his party. Significantly, the Shiv Sena has become the only party in the Mahayuti to field a Muslim candidate in the council elections.

Shinde's choice of Saeed Khan is rooted not o...