Shiv Sena releases first list of 8 candidates, renominates sitting MPs in 7 seats

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde unilaterally declared its first list of eight candidates for the Lok Sabha polls on Thursday even as its seat-sharing talks with the BJP and the NCP are underway.

The party has renominated its sitting MPs in seven seats, but dropped the incumbent at Ramtek in Nagpur district.

The list included Rahul Shewale from Mumbai South Central, Sanjay Mandlik from Kolhapur, Sadashiv Lokhande from Shirdi (SC), Prataprao Jadhav from Buldhana, Hemant Patil from Hingoli, Shrikant Barne from Maval, and Dhairyasheel Mane from Hatkalangade, all sitting MPs.

The party has dropped sitting MP Krupal Tumane from Ramtek (SC), and replaced him with Raju Parwe who recently joined the Shiv Sena after parting ways with the Congress and resigning as a legislator.

The list was announced after Eknath Shinde held a meeting for over three hours with Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar late on Wednesday night.

Shinde announced the list unilaterally even as Ajit Pawar recently announced that the trio (Sena-BJP-NCP) will jointly release the seat-sharing agreement and the names of the candidates for the respective parties.

The NCP and the Shinde faction are in a tussle over the Nashik seat, while the BJP is keen to get Thane and Palghar.

Moreover, the BJP is yet to formally decide on accommodating the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by Raj Thackeray in the MahaYuti setup.

Besides, the party also has to decide the allocation of one seat to the Rashtriya Samaj Paksha led by Mahadev Jankar.

Meanwhile, RPI leader and Union Minister Ramdas Athavale is reportedly furious over the BJP neglecting the party in the seat-sharing talks. He had demanded at least two seats, including Shirdi, but the Shinde faction has already announced its nominee for the seat.