Its Shirdi LS nominee convicted, Sena eyes Ambedkar aide’s son to do the fighting
Premanand Rupwate is the son of Dalit leader Dadasaheb Rupwate
2 min read
The Shiv Sena is considering nominating Congress leader Premanand Rupwate to replace Babanrao Gholap as its Lok Sabha candidate from Shirdi after the latter was convicted by a special court in a disproportionate assets case on Friday.
Rupwate is the son of Dalit leader Dadasaheb Rupwate, who was an associate of Dr Babsaheb Ambedkar and subsequently served as a cabinet minister in Maharashtra.
Premanand had earlier contested on a Congress ticket from Karjat in the 2004 Assembly elections and fought the 2009 Lok Sabha elections from Shirdi in as an Independent after raising a banner of revolt against the Congress.
Since 2009, he had again been working for the Congress, but there are indications he may join the Shiv Sena.
Shirdi is a reserved constituency.
Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray said he was thinking over the issue. “We are still looking into the issue. If need arises, we will announce a new face in the next two days,” he said.
The Sena suffered a setback on Friday after five-time MLA and the party’s candidate for Shirdi Lok Sabha seat, Babanrao Gholap, was found guilty by a special court in a disproportionate asset case. Gholap and his wife Shashikala Gholap have been sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment.
Gholap’s Lok Sabha candidature as well as his Legislative Assembly membership are set to be cancelled in view of the Supreme Court’s July 2013 judgment, which said that MPs or MLAs would lose their seats immediately after their conviction.
You May Like
Photos
