Bihar assembly election 2020: Sena to contest 50 seats, will field candidate against ex-police chief

Former Bihar police chief Gupteshwar Pandey questioned Mumbai police’s probe into Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death and has since joined the ruling JD(U); Sena says he did so only to get into politics

The Shiv Sena on Wednesday announced it will contest 50 assembly seats in Bihar that goes to the polls in three phases from October 28. It said the party will also field a candidate against former Bihar police chief Gupteshwar Pandey, who questioned Mumbai police’s probe into Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death and has since joined the ruling Janata Dal (United), or JD (U). Pandey is expected to contest the elections.

Former Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey speaks after joining JD(U) in Patna on September 27. (HT file)

Shiv Sena leader Anil Desai said Pandey showed seriousness in the Rajput case only to use it to get into politics. “Not just Maharashtra but the entire nation saw his theatrics [in the Rajput case]. Now he has joined JD (U) and is going to contest from Buxar. Our simple Shiv Sainik who will contest against him will give him a tough fight.”

Desai said their party head, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, has given them the go-ahead and they are prepared to contest the elections. He added the party will campaign on local issues and the work the local leaders have done there. In 2015, the Sena contested 80 seats in Bihar.

Shiv Sena does not have any significant following outside Maharashtra. But it has been contesting elections in states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, and Goa. The Sena often picks Bharatiya Janata Party dissidents as its candidates.