In Kalyan, Shinde plants a sapling before filing his polls nomination

In Bhiwandi, Congress’s Suresh Taware, 62, filed his nomination. “Despite the infighting, the party believed in me and gave me a chance to contest,” said Taware.

Kalyan’s sitting MP from Shiv Sena Shrikant Shinde, 32, filed his nomination on Tuesday, but not before planting a sapling to give out a message to save the environment.

Kalyan Constituency Shiv Sena Candidate Shrikant Shinde (Hindustan Times)

Shinde began his rally from Ganesh Mandir at Phadke Road, Dombivli. “Protecting the environment is not a topic for discussion, but needs to be practised too,” said Shinde, who reached the nomination filing office at Savlaram Krida Sankul (sports complex) at Dombivli MIDC.

In Bhiwandi, Congress’s Suresh Taware, 62, filed his nomination. “Despite the infighting, the party believed in me and gave me a chance to contest,” said Taware.

Meanwhile, Suresh Mhatre, 49, a Shiv Sena leader and chairman of the public works department of zilla parishad, who was hopeful of contesting on a Congress ticket, filed his nomination as an independent.

“I will meet all political party leaders and activists during campaigning. I will talk to them about my plans for Bhiwandi’s development,”said Mhatre.

Bhiwandi’s sitting MP Kaptil Patil (BJP) filed the nomination on Monday.