Maharashtra polls: Palghar MLA goes missing after being denied ticket

On Tuesday, Palghar collector Govind Bodke said that Vanga had gone missing and a search had been launched for him

Mumbai: Shiv Sena MLA Srinivas Vanga has gone missing after being denied a ticket for the upcoming assembly election. The Palghar legislator was last seen on Monday, a day after Shiv Sena named former MP Rajendra Gavit as its nominee from Palghar, when he broke down during a press conference and accused the party chief and chief minister Eknath Shinde of betraying him. Family members feared that he would end his life, but they have not registered a missing complaint yet.

Shiv Sena MLA Srinivas Vanga has gone missing after being denied a ticket for the upcoming assembly election. ((PIC FOR REPRESENTATION))

On Tuesday, Palghar collector Govind Bodke said that Vanga had gone missing and a search had been launched for him. But Palghar superintendent of police Balasaheb Patil said, “We are in touch with the Vanga family. If they register a missing compliant, will launch a search.” Sources in the police, however, clarified that they have already initiated a search for Vanga on unofficial basis as the Shiv Sena is worried about facing a backlash if something bad happens to him.

Shrinivas Vanga is the son of former BJP MP Chintaman Vanga. He joined the Shiv Sena in 2018, soon after his father passed away. During the split in the party last year, he sided with the faction led by Eknath Shinde. He also played a role in toppling the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government, as all the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs were supposed to go for his son’s birthday party, but they went to Gujarat instead, where they were holed up in a hotel till a new BJP-Shiv Sena government assumed office.

Vanga broke down while addressing reporters on Monday and regretted leaving the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. Earlier, his wife Suman Vanga had told the media that he was showing suicidal tendencies.

“He has quit eating food. He said that Uddhav is a nice person and he did a wrong thing by trusting Shinde. All (Shiv Sena) MLAs have been renominated and only my husband has been left out. He is in depression. Whom should I blame if something happens to my husband,” she asked.

A key Shiv Sena leader said that they had received adverse reports on Vanga and he had not been meeting anyone despite warnings.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Gavit filed his nomination papers in the presence of senior party leaders like Thane MP Naresh Mhaske. Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded Jayendra Dubala from the constituency.