Sena versus Sena contest in Thane Lok Sabha seat, voting on May 20

Thane, one of the 48 Maharashtra Lok Sabha constituencies, will go to the polls on May 20 in the fifth phase of the General elections.

Thane, one of the 48 Maharashtra Lok Sabha constituencies, will go to the polls on May 20 in the fifth phase of the General elections. The seat will witness the contest between two factions of Shiv Sena. Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded Rajan Baburao Vichare, the sitting MP from Thane, who will contest against Shiv Sena's Naresh Mhaske.

The Thane Lok Sabha seat comprises six assembly constituencies; Mira Bhayandar, Kopri-Pachpakhadi, Ovala-Majiwada, Thane, Airoli and Belapur. The Mahayuti of the BJP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP ironed out the creases in their alliance in Maharashtra. Sources mentioned that the winning ability of a candidate from the Shiv Sena was a key criterion in leaving the seat for them.

The Yuti alliance felt that with the seat being a Marathi voter-dominant seat, the Sena was assured of a thumping victory. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde himself is an MLA from the Kopri-Pachpakhadi seat and wields considerable influence in the area that was once dominated by his mentor, the late Anant Dighe. Additionally, the Sena also holds the Ovala-Majiwada assembly seat, while Eknath Shinde's son Shrikant Shinde, is the MP from the neighbouring seat of Kalyan. The other four assemblies in the Thane Lok Sabha seat are held by the BJP.

The Thane Lok Sabha seat is currently held by three-time MP Rajan Vichare, who is with the UBT Shiv Sena. Vichare was again named the candidate for the seat and campaigned vigorously. Vichare, however, battles severe anti-incumbency along with the loss of several cadres from the region who earlier this month pledged loyalty to Eknath Shinde.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Shiv Sena's Rajan Baburao Vichare secured victory with 740,969 votes, defeating Congress candidate Anand Paranjape, who received 328,824 votes. In a post on X, Shiv Sena candidate Naresh Mhaske said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to become Prime Minister again after the Lok Sabha polls

"Modi government once again! Today, on the occasion of campaigning for Thane Lok Sabha Constituency, party workers meeting was organized in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Devendraji Fadnavis with great pomp. Devendraji interacted with all the workers of Mahayuti and gave them valuable guidance. A large number of MLAs, office bearers and workers of Mahayuti from Thane Lok Sabha constituency were present on this occasion," he said. The state, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the Lower House of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 contested seats, while the undivided Shiv Sena secured 18 out of 23 seats. The undivided NCP, part of the opposition alliance, contested 19 seats and won four. Following the split in the Shiva Sena 2022, the Eknath Shinde faction aligned with the BJP. (ANI)

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