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Shrinivas Vanga, a Shiv Sena MLA from Palghar, has been missing for the last 15 hours, reportedly after he was denied the Assembly election ticket.
Shiv Sena MLA from Maharashtra’s Palghar, Shrinivas Vanga | Image/PTI
Shrinivas Vanga, a Shiv Sena MLA from Palghar, has been missing for the last 15 hours, reportedly after he was denied the ticket from his home constituency for the forthcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, scheduled for November 20.
Leaving family under stress, the Sena MLA has severed all communications from his phone, said sources familiar with the matter, adding that the police have initiated action to search for the missing leader on his family’s complaint.
The development comes a day after Shiv Sena announced the name of former MP Rajendra Gavit as its candidate for the Palghar assembly seat, skipping the name of Vanga, a sitting MLA from the constituency.
Vanga ‘Regrets’ Leaving Thackeray Sena
Reacting to Shiv Sena skipping his name for the Palghar election, Vanga on Monday expressed remorse for leaving the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.
During an emotional press conference, he accused Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of not fulfilling his commitment to protect loyal members. The Shiv Sena MLA also broke down in tears, admitting that leaving UBT was a mistake.
Vanga, 42, was reportedly at the forefront of arranging resources for moving the rebel MLAs to Surat in June 2022 when Eknath Shinde led the split in Shiv Sena.
After the demise of his father MP Chintaman Vanga, Shrinivas Vanga hoped to contest the 2018 Lok Sabha bypoll from Palghar. However, he was asked to make way for Gavit, who won the seat in 2018 and 2019. As compensation, Vanga was given the Palghar assembly ticket.
Maharashtra Poll Battle 2024
The Maharashtra assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with counting for all 288 constituencies on November 23.
The main electoral contest will be between two alliances, namely the Mahayuti – comprising of BJP, Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) and Shive Sena (Eknath Shinde) and Maha Vikas Agadhi – comprising of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar).
In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena 56, and the Congress 44. All eyes are now on the 2024 poll battle as both alliances are looking to turn the tide in their favour.
