The Shiv Sena (UBT) is rattled as its senior functionary and Leader of the Opposition (Council), Ambadas E. Danve, is reportedly peeved at being ignored for a Lok Sabha nomination from the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar constituency on Saturday.
He admitted that he had been yearning for a Lok Sabha nomination since 2014, then 2019, but was allegedly denied the opportunity owing to the local strongman and five-time MP, Chandrakant Khaire. A Member of the Legislative Council, Danve accused Chandrakant Khaire of constantly trying to politically browbeat him but categorically stated he (Danve) would continue working under the leadership of Shiv Sena (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray. He also assured that he is not planning to join hands with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, while shrugging that nobody can predict what would happen in the future.
Chandrakant Khaire, who lost the prestigious Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar seat to the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen's Syed Imtiaz Jaleel in 2019, is likely to be renominated from there as a Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate, creating heartburns for Danve and his supporters. The statements by Ambadas Danve have created ripples in the MVA as just a couple of days back, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat set the cat among the pigeons by claiming that 'a big leader from the MVA' would switch over by Monday.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House also urged that new faces must be given a chance for the Lok Sabha and said he had apprised the party leadership of his keen desire to contest it. 'I am a loyal Shiv Sainik, and struggles are nothing new for me... But it is not possible to forecast what could happen in the coming times,' said Ambadas Danve, dropping broad hints. Meanwhile, efforts are on to mollify Ambadas Danve by Thackeray and party MP Sanjay Raut and deploy his oratorical skills for the campaign of the Lok Sabha.
