Thane Municipal Corporation Poll 2026: Rebel Candidate Nitin Landge Challenges Shiv Sena Rival To Prove Development Work In Ward 4
Rebel candidate Nitin Landge, denied a Shiv Sena ticket for Thane Municipal Corporation polls, resigned from Yuva Sena and is contesting independently from ward no. 4. He challenges rival Siddharth Pandey to prove any development work in the area, promising to withdraw if proven. Landge alleges political pressure influenced ticket allocation in the Shiv Sena.

Thane Municipal Corporation Poll 2026: Rebel Candidate Nitin Landge Challenges Shiv Sena Rival To Prove Development Work In Ward 4 | File Pic (Representational Image)
Thane: Rebel candidate Nitin Landge has said he would withdraw from the Thane Municipal Corporation poll race if his rival Siddharth Pandey, the Shiv Sena's nominee from ward no. 4, can point to even a single development initiative he has undertaken in the area.
Landge, who was hoping to get a ticket to contest the TMC polls scheduled on January 15, resigned as a core committee member of the Yuva Sena last week after being denied the nomination.
The Shiv Sena, led by Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, instead fielded Siddharth Pandey, son of former corporator Sanjay Pandey, prompting Landge to contest the civic polls as an independent candidate.
At a press conference on Sunday, Landge claimed that Sanjay Pandey had minimal involvement in the organisational activities.
ALSO READ
"The deputy chief minister was pressured through a letter threatening political consequences if the ticket was not granted," he alleged, adding that the situation would have been different had merit and grassroots work been the sole criteria.
"I am not against the Shiv Sena, which helped me grow, nor against Eknath Shinde, whom I still revere as my mentor. My fight is against the candidate imposed on this ward," Landge said.
He claimed to have worked tirelessly in the area for years for the benefit of youth and residents.
Landge said he would withdraw from the contest immediately if his rival could show even a single development initiative undertaken by him or his family for the ward.
He also described the 'coconut' election symbol allotted to him as auspicious, stating that "every political journey begins with the offering of a coconut", adding symbolic significance to his campaign.
Sanjay Pandey, a former BJP leader, had contested from Thane's Ovala-Majiwada assembly seat in 2014 before joining the Shiv Sena (then undivided) in 2016.
He later served as a corporator from ward no. 4 and chose to remain with the Shinde faction after the party split in 2022.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
RECENT STORIES
-
Mumbai Passengers Among Worst Hit As IRCTC Cracks Down On 15 Fake Train Food Delivery Websites -
Maharashtra Signs MoU With Cleveland Clinic And Brookfield For Navi Mumbai International MediCity,... -
Maharashtra Govt Invites Suggestions From Citizens And Experts For Formulation Of Dedicated Single... -
Removed Block Resource Coordinator-Appointed PM Shri School Principal In Sardarpur -
Reliance-Led Consortium Wins Bid For Juhu Galli Slum Cluster Redevelopment, One Of Mumbai's Largest...
