Lok Sabha elections 2024: MVA mess worsens, Cong, SS-UBT claim same Mumbai seat

With the Congress already smarting due to the Shiv Sena (UBT) unilaterally staking claim for four prestigious Mumbai Lok Sabha seats, the Thackeray party seems to have now added insult to injury. mid-day has discovered that both parties are now claiming Mumbai North, which already has a formidable adversary on the other side in Union minister Piyush Goyal.

Patil met Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut on Tuesday, along with a host of local Sena leaders from Jalgaon. In the Shinde Sena, Nashik's sitting MP Hemant Godse is upset because NCP (SP)'s Chhagan Bhujbal is tipped as an official candidate there. This, according to Godse and his supporters, is a breach of Shinde's promise that all MPs and MLAs, who staged a coup against Thackeray two years ago, would be fielded in their respective Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha constituencies.

Anil Parab, Sena (UBT) leader

Godse had met Shinde twice before to plead his case, but nothing had moved in his favour. Incumbent MP, Hemant Patil, was announced from his Hingoli segment in the first list, but he faces the axe because the party has a more winnable replacement for him. It is learnt that in both Nashik and Hingoli, the BJP has suggested dropping the incumbent in view of internal surveys that have gone against the sitting MPs.

While Godse may not get anything if he loses his seat, Patil has been promised a ticket for his wife Rajashri Patil in the Yavatmal-Washim Lok Sabha constituency. Shinde Sena's Yavatmal-Washim MP Bhavana Gawali has been lobbying hard with the BJP and CM Shinde to prevent her exit. The development aggrieved Patil and his supporters, who had reached Mumbai to know the truth and demand against Patil's exclusion ahead of the closing day for nomination. Hingoli and Yavatmal-Washim will go to poll on April 26, the second phase of electioneering in Maharashtra. Godse and Hemant Patil cannot go to Sena (UBT) because it has no place for them. The UBT group has already announced candidates for Nashik and Hingoli.

Hemant Patil, incumbent MP of Hingoli, Bhavana Gawali, Yavatmal-Washim MP and Hemant Godse, Nashik's sitting MP

BJP will finish Sena

Commenting on the Shinde Sena, Sena (UBT)'s Anil Parab said, in addition to Nashik and Palghar, and that the CM would lose Thane to the BJP. Shinde had very confidently assured that he would not let any MLA or MP down and that he would get them re-elected from their respective Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha constituencies, or else he would quit politics and go farming. "What is happening now? Will Shinde go farming? I tell you that the BJP will finish the Shinde group. Lok Sabha [election] is the trailer of this. See what happens in the Assembly polls," he added.

Patil at Matoshree

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the then MLA, Unmesh Patil had replaced Smita Wagh whose name was announced as a BJP candidate for the Jalgaon constituency. Patil had filed nomination papers on the last day for Jalgaon. Earlier, the party had dropped its two-time sitting MP A T Patil, but Wagh's candidature had created a possibility of rebellion. However,this year, the BJP has found winnability in Wagh, that will come under threat from Patil's presence in the rival camp. Voting in Jalgaon will be held on May 13. Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut said the leaders from Jalgaon were keen to join his party. "You will know more tomorrow," he added further. Raut's colleague from Jalgaon, Sanjay Sawant, said the BJP had done injustice to Patil.

Six
Total number of Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai region

48
No of LS seats in Maharashtra