Mumbai: The Shiv Sena (UBT) has decided to contest Ramtek and Buldhana Lok Sabha constituencies against Shinde group MPs Krupal Tumane and Prataprao Jathav respectively, while the party will help friends in Nagpur just like it decided for Baramati.
Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray has been reviewing Lok Sabha constituencies since August 16. The review of all the 48 constituencies will be complete by Saturday. On Friday, Nagpur and Ramtek Lok Sabha constituencies and the Vidhan Sabha segments under them were reviewed. On Thursday, he reviewed the Buldhana Lok Sabha constituency and the assembly segments under it. The Buldhana and Ramtek Lok Sabha constituencies had been with the Shiv Sena for a long time. However, sitting MPs from both the seats sided with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Hence, Thackeray appealed to the party workers to ensure their defeat.
Nagpur is with the estranged ally BJP and senior leader Nitin Gadkari had registered the largest winning margin on the seat in 2019. Though Gadkari is close to the Thackeray family, Thackeray made it clear that just like Baramati, the Shiv Sena (UBT) shall side with their friends from the INDIA alliance during Lok Sabha polls. Congress generally contests Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency. In 2019 Nana Patole, who is now the MPCC President, had contested the seat unsuccessfully.
Thackeray urged workers to expand party base in the constituency to defeat of Tumane
At Ramtek, sitting MP Krupal Tumane might be in danger due to the split in the party. Tumane had won the 2014 and 2019 elections. However, he doesn’t have any MLA to back him. Out of the six assembly segments under this LS seat, one each with the Congress and the NCP while all the rest four are with the BJP. This gives an edge to Shiv Sena (UBT). Thackeray urged the party workers to expand the party base in the constituency to ensure defeat of Tumane.
Thackeray, on Thursday, had urged party workers to ensure victory in Buldhana Lok Sabha Constituency. Shiv Sena had been winning the seat since 1999. Anand Adsul had represented the seat in 1999 while Prataprao Jadhav had been winning the seat since 2009. Uddhav Thackeray urged party workers to build party organisations with an aim to defeat BJP candidates in assembly segments. Even in the INDIA alliance, Shiv Sena (UBT) shall contest the seat, he told the party workers.
