30 March,2024 12:16 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sanjay Nirupam
Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat has stated his willingness to welcome Sanjay Nirupam into the party fold if the Congress leader chooses to leave his current party. Shirsat emphasised Nirupam's alleged dissatisfaction with Congress, implying that his probable defection would be warmly welcomed by the Sena. However, he underlined that the final decision is up to Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde.
Shirsat told ANI, "Govinda joined our party on Thursday but he has declared that he won't be contesting the election. Sanjay Nirupam is very angry with Congress. If he thinks about it, he will take the decision in 2-3 days, and if he wants to join us, we will welcome him. However, the final decision in this regard lies with Eknath Shinde."
Nirupam warned against taking an "extreme stand" in reaction to the Sena's initial list of candidates for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 citing potential ramifications for the Congress-Sena partnership. He expressed an openness to considering many ideas and promised to decide within a week.
Nirupam's comments came amid fears over the impact of the Shiv Sena's plan to run in Mumbai constituencies, which could potentially sideline Congress. The alliance dynamics in Maharashtra remain fluid as parties prepare for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
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The Congress leader, per the ANI report, during a press conference in the city, said, "Shiv Sena should not take an extreme stand. This will cause a huge loss to Congress. I want to attract the attention of Congress leadership to intervene, if not then break the alliance to save the party. The decision of an alliance with Shiv Sena will prove self-destructive for Congress and its impact will be felt in Maharashtra and even beyond."
The UBT Sena is allied with Congress, and the NCP (Sharad Pawar). Maharashtra's 48 Lok Sabha seats make it a critical battleground in national politics since the state sends the second-highest number of legislators to the Lower House. Additionally, the BJP and Shiv Sena have emerged as strong parties in previous elections.
Voting for Lok Sabha Elections 2024 in Maharashtra will be held in five phases staring on April 19 and concluding on May 20. The first to vote will be the east Vidarbha region. The votes for all constituencies will be counted on June 4.
