The stakes are a lot higher this time around in the Lok Sabha constituency of Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg. It will be a matter of prestige for Uddhav Thackeray, who is leading one faction of Shiv Sena and is hoping that his party’s candidate Vinayak Raut will do a hat-trick by defeating Narayan Rane fielded by BJP.

Senior leaders from both parties, including Home Minister Amit Shah and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Thackeray, along with other prominent figures, have held rallies in the Konkan region, which is also the political stronghold of Union Minister Narayan Rane. MNS chief Raj Thackeray also addressed a rally at Kankavli in support of Rane on Saturday and it is said that it can work in favour of Rane. However, there was talk that many MNS supporters from Mumbai had gone for the rally.