Unrest in MVA as Shiv Sena (UBT) declares first list of 17 candidates

Shiv Sena (UBT) announces first list of candidates for 17 Lok Sabha seats, including all five MPs who supported party during split in June 2022.

MUMBAI: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) declared the first list of candidates for 17 Lok Sabha seats on Wednesday, renominating all five MPs that stood by the party when Eknath Shinde engineered the split in June 2022, exiting with 39 legislators.

Anil Desai (Mumbai South Central): A former Rajya Sabha MP and a close Thackeray aide, he looks after the Sthaniya Lokadhikar Samittee, Sena’s union in white collar jobs. He also looks after matters related to ECI.

The five leaders are Arvind Sawant from Mumbai South, Rajan Vichare from Thane, Vinayak Raut from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Omraje Nimbalkar from Osmanabad and Sanjay Jadhav from Parbhani.

After MP Sanjay Raut released the list, he added the party would contest from 22 seats, and that “the remaining names will be announced in a couple of days”. The party has put forward eight fresh faces who have never contested Lok Sabha elections. (See Below.)

Thackeray’s announcement of candidates from Sangli, a traditional Congress stronghold, Mumbai North West and Mumbai South Central, has brought to the fore the already simmering tensions between the two parties within the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

Senior party leader Balasaheb Thorat and Mumbai unit president Varsha Gaikwad expressed their displeasure, with Thorat urging its alliance partner to reconsider its decision. On the other hand, Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam, who was eyeing the Mumbai North West seat, threatened the party leadership saying he would look for other options, failing a turnaround within a week. “I am waiting for a decision, after which I am open to all options,” said Nirupam.

A delegation of Congress leaders from Sangli met the party’s general secretary K C Venugopal to present their case. However, state Congress chief Nana Patole ridiculed Nirupam, saying “We don’t attach any importance to such utterances. Congress gave the person enough opportunities in the past.”

Reacting to the flutter in Congress, Raut said, “We gave up the Kolhapur seat for Congress. Our policy is to ensure a Congress prime minister in the country. In Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) will be the big brother.”

In 2019, the undivided Shiv Sena fought on 23 seats in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and won 18. Of that pool, 13 MPs joined chief minister Shinde in 2022.

While Sawant won the Mumbai South constituency in 2014 and 2019 elections, the party has picked Anil Desai to contest from Mumbai South Central and Amol Kirtikar from Mumbai North West constituency – both won the constituencies in alliance with BJP in 2019. Former MP Sanjay Patil is being fielded from the Mumbai North East constituency. In Thane, the party has renominated Rajan Vichare a strong Thackeray hand.

“Shiv Sena (UBT) should not have announced candidates for Sangli and Mumbai seats where the MVA allies are yet to reach a consensus. We have expressed unhappiness with our party leadership and will take further steps as directed by the latter,” said Gaikwad. Thorat added, “It is the responsibility of all parties to follow coalition dharma when the talks within MVA are still on.”

On the other hand, a few party leaders have indicated the option of a friendly fight between the two parties in Sangli. A Congress insider said, “We have no other option if Shiv Sena (UBT) remains adamant. It is our seat – and we have a strong candidate who has a chance to get elected.” Congress is looking to field Vishal Patil who had fought against BJP’s sitting MP Sanjaykaka Patil in the last elections as the Raju Shetti-led Swabhimani Paksha candidate. Patil had secured 3.44 lakh votes against 5.08 lakh votes bagged by the BJP MP.

Meanwhile, after the announcement of Chandrakant Khaire from Aurangabad another leader and leader of opposition in legislative council Ambadas Danve was peeved for being denied a party ticket. “I would not campaign for Khaire but for the party. I have spoken to the party chief Uddhav Thackeray and assured him that I will work for the party’s victory,” said Danve.

Sena (UBT)’s 17

Arvind Sawant (Mumbai South) sitting MP: A trade union leader from Sena’s union in Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL), Sawant was fielded for Lok Sabha for the first time in 2014 after Uddhav Thackeray managed to take the seat from BJP. He was re-elected in 2019 after which he was inducted as union cabinet minister in the Modi government. Sawant, a Thackeray loyalist, stepped down as minister six months later as Thackeray decided to snap ties with BJP after the 2019 assembly elections and join Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

Anil Desai (Mumbai South Central): A former Rajya Sabha MP and a close Thackeray aide, he looks after the Sthaniya Lokadhikar Samittee, Sena’s union in white collar jobs. He also looks after matters related to ECI.

Amol Kirtikar (Mumbai North West):

Amol Kirtikar is son of sitting MP from the constituency, Gajanan Kirtikar who joined chief minister Ekanth Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Amol, however, chose to stay with the Thackeray faction, and is considered a key member of Aaditya Thackeray’s team.

Sanjay Patil (Mumbai North East): A former MLA from Bhandup, Sanjay Patil won the Lok Sabha election in 2009 as an NCP candidate by defeating BJP’s Kirit Somaiya. He lost to Somaiya again in 2014, and later joined Shiv Sena. He could not contest in 2019 as BJP contested the seat, as Sena’s alliance partner.

Rajan Vichare (Thane) sitting MP: Once a trusted aide of Shiv Sena leader late Anand Dighe, Rajan Vichare won the election from the constituency in 2014 and 2019. After the split in party, Vichare remained with Thackeray faction, and is now the face of the party in Shinde’s home turf.

Anant Geete (Raigad): Former union minister Anant Geete has been winning the Raigad seat since 1996 and lost for the first time in 2019 to NCP candidate Sunil Tatkare. Geete has worked as union minister of state for finance and later as cabinet minister for power under then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Vinayak Raut (Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg) sitting MP: A trusted aide of Uddhav Thackeray, Vinayak Raut won the LS elections in 2014 and 2019 and now will fight for the third time. In 2014, he defeated Narayan Rane’s son and then sitting MP Nilesh Rane. Since then Raut and Rane have been in a bitter power tussle.

Chandrakant Khaire (Aurangabad): Chandrakant Khaire has been winning the LS elections since 1999. In 2019 he lost to AIMIM’s Imtiyaz Jaleel. Now, Thackeray has shown confidence in Khaire again, at the cost of unrest in the party’s local unit.

Omraje Nimbalkar (Osmanabad) sitting MP: Omraje Nimbalkar won the LS election for the first time in 2019. After the split he remained with the Thackerays. He has also represented Osmanabad assembly constituency in 2009 as Shiv Sena MLA.

Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani) sitting MP: Sanjay Jadhav will fight Lok Sabha elections for the third time after the 2014 and 2019 wins. The party has not lost the constituency since 1999 despite change of candidates.

Narendra Khedekar (Buldhana): Narendra Khedekar is from the Maratha community and works as the co-ordinator for Buldhana district. The current MP Prataprao Jadhav joined CM Eknath Shinde after the split in the party.

Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim):Sanjay Deshmukh is from the Maratha community and has been a minister in the Congress-NCP government before 2004. He joined Thackeray after MP Bhavana Gawali joined the Shinde camp.

Sanjog Waghere-Patil (Maval): Sanjog Waghere was an NCP leader and is a former mayor of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. In 2019 he wanted to fight Lok Sabha elections from Maval but failed to get the party ticket as Parth Pawar - son of NCP leader Ajit Pawar was chosen as candidate.

Chandrahar Patil (Sangli): Chandrahar Patil was a wrestler and former ZP member from NCP who has joined Thackeray. He has been fielded for the contentious Sangli seat.

Nagesh Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli): Nagesh Patil Ashtikar is former MLA of Hadgaon assembly constituency. He won in 2014 as Shiv Sena candidate, but lost in 2019. Ashtikar will fight a Lok Sabha election for the first time as current party MP Hemant Patil left Thackeray and joined the Shinde faction.

Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi): Bhausaheb Wakchaure was the first MP from Shirdi LS constituency after its formation in 2009 as Shiv Sena candidate. He exited the party in 2014 and contested as a Congress candidate but lost to Shiv Sena candidate Sadashiv Lokhande. He joined Thackeray in 2023 again and got the ticket for Lok Sabha as current MP Lokhande joined Shinde.

Rajabhau Waje (Nashik):Rajabhau Waje, former MLA from Sinnar assembly constituency, is a surprise entrant in the list. Thackeray selected him after speculations that deputy CM Ajit Pawar will announce Chhagan Bhujbal from this constituency to counter the OBC polarization, Thackeray chose Waje who is also from the OBC community.