Maharashtra CM Shinde Expects Shiv Sena MP to Retain Nashik Lok Sabha Seat

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday expressed confidence that sitting MP Hemant Godse, who is contesting the Nashik Lok Sabha seat as a candidate of the ruling Shiv Sena, will win the election.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday expressed confidence that sitting MP Hemant Godse, who is contesting the Nashik Lok Sabha seat as a candidate of the ruling Shiv Sena, will win the election. Addressing a press conference here, Shinde said election to the Nashik parliamentary seat will be held in the last phase on May 20. ''Everyone is together for the victory of Hemant Godse. He is a two-term MP,'' Shinde said.

Vijay Karanjkar, who was earlier Nashik district unit president of the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray, quit the party and joined the Shinde-led Sena. Karanjkar was keen on contesting the seat as Sena (UBT) candidate. However, the Thackeray-led party fielded Rajabhau Waje from this constituency. Talking about him, Shinde said, ''Now Karanjkar is with Godse. Therefore, Godse's victory is confirmed.'' ''Vijay Karanjkar, like you, I was also in the race (for the chief minister's post) till the last minute. If not me, someone else would have been made the chief minister, but he himself jumped into the race and became the chief minister,'' Shinde said, referring to Uddhav Thackeray.

Spiritual leader Shantigiri Maharaj is contesting the Nashik seat as an independent candidate. Talking about him, the chief minister said, ''I held talks with Shantigiri Maharaj. I requested him to continue working in religious and spiritual fields rather than the political field. I told him that he should give his blessings to politicians. In response, he said he would take a decision on it by consulting his people.'' Welcoming the Bombay High Court's ruling on renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv, respectively, he said the court rejected the petition to change the names of these cities. ''Therefore, the names Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar for Aurangabad and Dharashiv for Osmanabad will continue,'' he said.

Before talking to reporters, Shinde also addressed a rally of workers of the 'Mahayuti' alliance.

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