In setback to Mahayuti, 2 leaders join Sena (UBT) ahead of Maharashtra Assembly polls

Teli joined the Sena UBT in the presence of party president Uddhav Thackeray, who welcomed him in the party fold stating that he has returned to party after 18 years.

Teli said he worked hard for the BJP for the past 10 years but was facing troubles after Rane and his family joined the BJP. Teli was one of the leaders from undivided Shiv Sena, who quit the party along with Narayan Rane. He was also the BJP in-charge of the Sawantwadi assembly segment.

Citing reports about the likely switch of Rane’s son Nilesh to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena to contest in the Maharashtra assembly polls, Teli said he was opposed to giving Lok Sabha and Assembly tickets to just one family.

Rane’s younger son Nitesh is MLA from Kankavali in Sindhudurg district and is likely to be renominated, while reports say Nilesh will be fielded from a seat currently held by the Shiv Sena.

The state’s Konkan belt accounts for 75 of the 288 assembly seats, including 36 in Mumbai.

Salunkhe, who also joined the Sena (UBT) on Friday, was former Solapur MLC and NCP president for Solapur district. Salunkhe was interested in contesting from Sangola assembly constituency of Solapur district where the sitting MLA is Shahaji Bapu Patil, a leader from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena who most probably will be renominated from the seat in the upcoming Assembly election.

While welcoming him in the party, Uddhav indicated that Salunkhe would be fielded from Sangola constituency against Patil , who had reblled against him to join CM Eknath Shinde in June 2022.