Council polls: Sena announces candidate, keeps BJP in dark

Sticking to it’s decision of going solo in all elections in the future and putting pressure on it’s ally — Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena on Wednesday announced its candidate for Nasik local authorities constituency. In fact, BJP has taken a step ahead of Sena by announcing its candidate for Nasik and Konkan Teacher’s constituency last week. BJP has given clear indication that the party doesn’t need support of Sena and hence, the Sena has no option but to announce its candidate without taking BJP in confidence.

Uddhav Thackeray, president of Sena, held a meeting of party legislators to finalise the strategy for the poll of member of Legislative Council (MLC) scheduled on May 21. He announce candidature of Narendra Darade from Nasik Local Authority constituency. Elected members of Nasik Municipal Corporation, Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti members of all PSs, members of all municipal council from the district will be voters of Nasik local authority constituency.

Darade is former president of Nasik District Cooperative bank and he has hold on cooperative sector across the district. He hails from Yeola and heads several educational institutions. In 2012 MLC poll, Shivaji Sane was Shiv Sena candidate who was defeated by Jayant Jadhav of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Term of outgoing member Jadhav will over on June 21. According to sources from Nasik, BJP may support Darade as the party has less presence in local bodies.

The sources from Sena said, as BJP announced name of Aniket Vijay Patil as party candidate of Teachers constituency from Nasik constituency without taking Sena in confidence, they have no option to contest the election solo.

Sena may announce name of Rajeev Sabale as candidate from Konkan Local Authority constituency. Sunil Tatkare is outgoing MLC of NCP and the party has yet to decided name of party candidates. Tatkare said, the decision will be taken in a meeting between Congress and NCP on April 29. Sabale is son of former Congress legislator. His journey ends at Sena via Congress and NCP.

The poll will be hold on May 21 and counting will be hold on May 28.