Mumbai: After having warned party cadres that he would not tolerate any dissent while giving party tickets, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday played safe by re-nominating 18 sitting Sena MLA’s for the ensuing October 21 assembly elections. Adopting a soft launch approach, the Sena chief has given two new faces – Sangram Kupekar (Chandgad) and Yogesh Kadam (Dapoli). While doing so he has given one more chance to Sanjay Baba Ghadge from Kagal, Ghadge had lost in the 2014 assembly elections.
The Sena president on Sunday handed over AB Forms (party ticket) to – minister Vijay Shivtare (Purandar), Arjun Khotkar (Jalana), Sangram Kupekar (Chandgad), Yogesh Kadam (Dapoli), Dr Sujit Minchekar (Hatkanagale – SC) among others at his Matoshri residence in Bandra East.
While re-nominating 18 sitting Sena MLA’s, the Sena president has repeated Sanjay Baba Ghadge who lost the 2014 assembly elections from Kagal. In Chandgad the Sena denied ticket to former legislator Narsing Gurunath Patil and instead given ticket to Sangram Kupekar. In Dapoli, the Sena has denied ticket to its former legislator Suryakant Dalvi and instead nominated Yogesh Kadam, son of Sena’s minister for Environment Ramdas Kadam.
The 18 sitting Sena MLA’s and Minister’s who have been re-nominated for the 2019 assembly polls include – Sanjay Shirsat (Aurangabad West – SC), Rajesh Kshirsagar (Kolhapur North), minister of state for Home (Rural), Deepak Kesarkar (Sawantwadi), Chandradip Narke (Karvir), Dr Sujit Minchekar (Hatkanagale – SC), Satyajeet Patil (Shahuwadi), Prakash Ambitkar (Radhanagri), Ulhas Patil (Shirol), Yogesh Ramdas Kadam (Dapoli), minister of state for textiles, Arjun Khotkar (Jalana), minister of state for water resources, Vijay Shivtare (Purandar), Nagesh Ashtikar-Patil (Hadgaon), Hemant S Patil (Nanded South), Subhash Sabne (Degloor – SC), Jaiprakash Mundada (Basmath), Rahul V Patil (Parbhani), Harshavardhan Jadhav (Kannad), Sandipan Bhumare (Paithan) and Dnyanraj Chougule (Umarga – SC).
