The first Shiv Sena list and the two lists announced by the ally, BJP, for the Maharashtra Assembly elections have triggered a revolt within both parties. BJP workers have resigned in many parts of the State.
Of the 126 candidiates the Sena announced on Monday, 60 are new faces and the rest sitting MLAs.
Party spokesperson Neelam Gorhe admitted that there was some unrest, over less than five per cent of the seats.
In Worli here, senior Sena leader Dattaji Nalavade has been replaced and Ashish Chemburkar given ticket.
Omraje Nimbalkar, a new entrant to the Sena and son of Congressman Pawan Raje Nimbalkar, has been given ticket in Osmanabad. In the case of the murder of Nimbalkar, Nationalist Congress party MP Padamsinh Patil is under arrest after a CBI investigation.
On Sunday, a demonstration was held in front of senior leader Manohar Joshi’s residence at Dadar.
The sitting Dadar MLA Sada Sarvankar, whose constituency is now part of Mahim, made a hasty trip to ‘Matoshree’, residence of party supremo Bal Thackeray, but to no avail. Mr. Sarvankar, apprehensive that he might not be given ticket to contest from Mahim, later denied that the demonstrators were his supporters. However, his supporters fear that ticket will be given to a close aide of Mr. Joshi, Milind Vaidya, though the name is not yet announced.
Even as the party tried to downplay the anger among workers, the Sena list — which appeared in the party mouthpiece Saamna -- sparked fresh unrest in Anushakti Nagar and Vile Parle in Mumbai, with aspirants threatening to quit the party.
Sena leader Subhash Desai had to brave protesters, and ‘Matoshree’ was besieged by workers with various complaints. Supporters of MLA Arvind Nerkar are angry that the BJP has got the prestigious Malabar Hill seat.
In Aurangabad, the former MP Pradeep Jaiswal resigned from the Sena after being denied ticket.
Meanwhile, the tussle over Guhagar -- the BJP seat that has been given to the Sena -- has already led to the resignation of the sitting MLA ,Vinay Natu, from the party. Dr. Natu is likely to contest as independent.
In Ghatkopar West, the local corporator and BJP leader Pravin Chheda’s supporters have quit the party protesting the candidature of Poonam Mahajan, daughter of the late leader Pramod Mahajan and niece of BJP MP Gopinath Munde.
Mr. Munde has even managed ticket for his daughter, Pankaja Munde Palve, in Parli in Beed district. Her name figures in the second BJP list released on Monday evening. Ms. Palve played an active role in campaigning for her father during the last general elections.
The BJP’s second list of 20 candidates includes two former MPs, including Subhash Deshmukh, who lost to Union Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar in Madha in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Mr. Deshmukh has been fielded in Tuljapur in Osmanabad district. In addition, the list features three former MLAs and three sitting MLAs. The first list had 66 names.
The BJP tried to downplay reports of protest resignations and said things would be sorted out.
Supporters of Sardar Tara Singh in Mulund are protesting denial of renomination of the MLA. While the candidate for Mulund has not been announced, there are reports that the former BJP MP, Kirit Somaiya’s wife Medha is being considered for the seat.
