The ruling Shiv Sena on Friday renominated 17o f its sitting MPs, including Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprise Anant Geete, as its candidates as it released its first list of 21 nominees for theLok Sabha polls.
The Shiv Sena, which is contesting in alliance with the ruling BJP, will contest 23 out of total 48 seats in the state. On its part, the BJP will contest the remaining 25 seats in the state.
Apart from Geete, the Sena’s other prominent re-nominated candidates are: Arvind Sawant (Mumbai south), Gajanan Kirtikar (Mumbai north-west), Rahul Shewale ( Mumbai north-central), Rajan Vichare (Thane), Chandrakant Khaire (Aurangabad), Anandrao Adsul (Amaravati), Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil (Shirur) and Vinayak Raut (Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg).
The only woman to have been fielded by the Shiv Sena is Bhawana Gawali, who has been re-nominated from Yavatmal-Washim constituency.
“We will release the second list of two candidates — for Satara and Palghar seats — at the joint public rally of BJP-Sena alliance to be held at Kolhapur on December 24,” Maharashtra Minister and senior Sena leader Subhash Desai said.
Given that the BJP has not named its candidate for Mumbai north-east constituency which is currently represented by its senior functionary Kirit Somaiya and the Sena has not nominated its candidate for the Palghar seat which is currently held by the BJP, there is speculation that the two saffron parties may swap these two seats.
The speculation stems from the Sena leadership has told the BJP in unambiguous terms that it is vehemently opposed Somaiya being re-nominated from Mumbai north-east Lok Sabha constituency and has also said that in the event of the re-nomination of the sitting MP, it would not only not campaign for Somaiya but would work towards defeating him in the polls.
The Shiv Sena’s bitter Opposition to Somaiya’s re-nomination stems from the fact that the latter has not only been a vociferous critic of the Sena leadership, but he
has in the past repeatedly allegations of corruption in the Sena-ruled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Sources said that the BJP might consider offering the Mumbai north-east to the Shiv Sena in lieu of
Palghar seat which it had retained in the Lok Sabha by-polls held in May last year but had to give up to the seat to the Sena during the seat sharing negotiations.