‘Request you not to do injustice to ordinary Sainik like me’: Mahim MLA Sada Sarvankar appeals to Raj Thackeray
MLA Sada Sarvankar is under pressure to withdraw his candidature from the Mahim Assembly seat in central Mumbai as Raj Thackeray’s son Amit is also contesting from the constituency.
Sarvankar is set to contest against Amit Thackeray and Mahesh Sawant of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). (@misadasarvankar/X)
In what is presumably a last-ditch effort to save his candidature, Sada Sarvankar, the Shiv Sena candidate from the Mahim Assembly constituency in Mumbai, appealed to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday night “not to do injustice” to him. Sarvankar, the sitting MLA from the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, is under pressure to withdraw his candidature as Raj Thackeray’s son Amit is also contesting the seat.
“I have been a Sena worker for 40 years. I became the Mahim MLA thrice with our hard work and sweat. If Balasaheb (Sena founder Bal Thackeray) was here, he would not have asked me to give up my seat for his relatives. Fifty of his relatives live in Dadar-Mahim but he nominated an ordinary Shiv Sainik like me. He was a leader who cherished the spirit of the worker,” Sarvankar said in a post on X.
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“Look at Eknath Shindesaheb, even though his son was a three-time MP, he did not make his son a minister at the Centre but gave that opportunity to a loyal Shiv Sainik. I request Raj saheb to not do injustice to an ordinary Shiv Sainik like me. Give me your support,” Sarvankar added.
The Mahim constituency in central Mumbai houses the undivided Shiv Sena’s headquarters, the Shiv Sena Bhavan, which is now the Sena (UBT)’s headquarters, and the prestigious Shivaji Park.
Since Amit is going to make his electoral debut from the seat, BJP leaders, including Mumbai city president Ashish Shelar and state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, and Shiv Sena ministers have been expressing the wish that the ruling alliance pledge support to him.
However, Sarvankar has been insistent on contesting the seat and filed nomination papers on Tuesday, despite Sena leaders appealing to him publicly and in private to support Amit.
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The Maharashtra Assembly elections will be held on November 20, with counting of votes on November 23.
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