Shiv Sena releases first list of candidates for Maharashtra assembly polls. It is all about rewarding loyalty

The Shiv Sena has released the first list of 45 candidates which saw the party renominating almost all MLAs who backed Chief Minister Eknath Shinde against Uddhav Thackeray when the Shiv Sena split.  This is also the first Assembly election to be contested under Shinde’s leadership.

Shiv Sena has given tickets to 45 candidates in the first list, which includes over half a dozen Cabinet members. Most of them have been retained in their respective seats.

Many see this as a reward for their loyalty when they sided with Shinde while breaking away from Uddhav Thackeray during the June 2022 revolt.  No sitting MLA has been dropped, except those who became MPs. Family members of deceased MLAs have been given tickets.

The party has fielded ministers Gulabrao Patil, Deepak Kesarkar, Abdul Sattar and Shamburaj Desai from Jalgaon Rural, Sawantwadi, Sillod and Patan, respectively. Dada Bhuse, will contest from the Malegaon Outer assembly constituency in Nashik district. Ministers Uday Samant and Tanaji Sawant have been fielded from Ratnagiri and Paranda, respectively.

Interestingly, the kin of many ministers, including Uday Samant’s brother, have been given tickets. Kiran Samant will contest from Rajapur while late MLA Anil Babar’s son Suhas Babar will contest from Khanapur in Sangli.

Manisha Waikar, wife of Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai North-West Ravindra Waikar, has been fielded from Jogeshwari (East), while Abhijit Adsul, son of Sena leader and former Union minister Anand Adsul, will contest from Daryapur in Amravati district. Vilas Bhumre, son of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) Lok Sabha MP Sandipan Bhumre, will contest from Paithan.