Navi Mumbai Shiv Sena to appeal to Shinde to reinstate leaders who rebelled during assembly polls

Shiv Sena leaders in Navi Mumbai seek to reinstate suspended members ahead of civic elections, aiming to strengthen the party amid discontent.

Navi Mumbai: With an eye on the upcoming civic elections, Shiv Sena leaders in Navi Mumbai are set to appeal to party chief Eknath Shinde to take back leaders who were suspended for contesting or campaigning against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates after being denied a ticket in the assembly elections.

Navi Mumbai Shiv Sena leader Vijay Nahata

Shiv Sena deputy leader Vijay Nahata and Navi Mumbai chief Vijay Chougule had contested as independents against sitting MLAs Manda Mhatre and Ganesh Naik from the BJP in the Belapur and Airoli constituencies, respectively. Several former Shiv Sena corporators and office bearers supported them in their contest against their Mahayuti alliance partners and were hence suspended by the party leadership. Mhatre and Naik went on to get re-elected.

The Shiv Sena then appointed its leader Kishore Patkar as the Belapur constituency chief, following which he campaigned extensively for Mhatre, playing an important role in her victory. On Wednesday, Patkar held a meeting of party workers to form a new committee and discuss plans for the civic elections, which are likely to be held in the first half of next year. A decision was also taken to appeal to Shinde to reinstate the rebels in the party.

“There was a lot of anger and confusion amongst party leaders and workers during the assembly election,” said Patkar. “I called the meeting to help the party regroup and plan ahead. With the civic elections due soon, there seems little possibility of an alliance with the BJP. It is important that our party is strengthened in the city, and the presence of all our leaders will certainly help.”

Patkar added that Shiv Sena leaders will appeal to Shinde to take back the rebels. “They had not joined any other party and hence can be accepted back. Even the BJP is expected to do the same with its leaders. A decision on Vijay Nahata and Vijay Chougule will be taken at the highest level. I have appealed to our party chief to consider it, and the response has been positive,” he said.

Nahata and Chougule were available for comment.