Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Shinde Sena’s cup of woes

(From left) Pappu Kalani, CM’s son Dr Shrikant Shinde and BJP MLA Kumar Alani during a campaign in Ulhasnagar on Wednesday. Pic/Navneet Barhate

Amid resentment on the part of Navi Mumbai BJP workers, who have been upset about a former MP not being given a ticket to contest the Thane seat, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has roped in 10 workers from every ally as coordinators for its candidate's campaign. Meanwhile, Shinde Sena leaders have been promoting the NOTA option at Mumbra in the Kalyan constituency, where the chief minister's son is in the fray.

The campaign of Naresh Mhaske, the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) candidate for the Thane constituency, has kicked off amid resentment on the part of BJP workers in Navi Mumbai who have been upset about former MP Sanjeev Naik not being given a ticket to contest the seat. Shiv Sena has appointed around 150 coordinators from all parties comprising the Mahayuti in Thane to help make Mhaske's campaign a success.

Chief minister Eknath Shinde at the campaign rally of Sena's Thane candidate Naresh Mhaske in Navi Mumbai on Thursday

Shiv Sena Thane Assembly constituency head Ram Repale, said, "The team is coordinating Mhaske's campaign. This is a regular process during the elections. We have included 10 members from each allied party." The team will organise campaigns and meetings and work to increase voter turnout, according to a coordinator. The coordinators have been appointed from each Assembly segment that comprises the Thane Lok Sabha constituency.

For the Kalyan Lok Sabha seat, where the chief minister's son Dr Shrikant Shinde is its candidate, the Shiv Sena has appointed six Assembly observers as coordinators. A Sena office-bearer from Mumbai South Central, which is being contested by the party's two-time MP Rahul Shewale, told mid-day that the campaign plan is already set. "We are continuously coordinating with alliance partners. The candidate's team keeps updating the MLA and allies daily. We did not appoint any coordinators for the campaign," he said.

BJP leaders Ganesh and Sanjeev Naik at the campaign rally of Sena's Thane candidate Naresh Mhaske in Navi Mumbai on Thursday

Thane was a highly sought-after constituency among the allies. After Mhaske was announced as the Mahayuti candidate, officials and former corporators belonging to the BJP in Navi Mumbai resigned as Sanjeev Naik was not given a ticket. "To prevent this resentment from affecting the campaign and the election, the office-bearers of all the parties have been included in the decision-making process," said a Thane-based Shiv Sena leader.

Meanwhile, on Thursday Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde held a rally in Navi Mumbai for Mhaske. Meanwhile, Shinde held a rally for Mhaske in Navi Mumbai on Thursday. Sanjeev Naik, his father BJP MLA Ganesh Naik and MLA Manda Mhatre were in attendance.