Who is Rutuja Latke, Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena candidate who won Andheri East bypoll

Rutuja Latke is the widow of former Sena MLA from Andheri (East), Ramesh Latke, who died after a heart attack in May 2022 in Dubai. Ramesh latke was a two-time MLA from Andheri (East), and prior to that, he was a civic corporator of the area.

Rutuja Latke worked as an assistant clerk in the office of the assistant municipal commissioner at BMC’s K/East ward office in Andheri (East) and looked after administrative work. According to the civic body’s officials, Latke had been employed with the BMC for more than a decade now.

Before filing her nomination for the upcoming bypoll, Latke stayed away from the public’s eye and was never directly involved in politics. Sources in the BMC said Latke played a key role and worked along with frontline workers of the BMC during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

Latke’s decision to file her nomination came with the intention of filling her husband’s position. In her resignation letter, Latke stated, “The untimely demise of my husband has compelled me to take part in the election since the position of MLA for the Andheri (East) is vacant”.

While there were speculations about Latke joining the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena, she took to her Facebook profile and announced she will support Uddhav Thackeray. “Our loyalty is with Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, I will fight on the torch symbol only and will win too,” posted Latke on her Facebook profile along with her photo with her son Amey Latke and Uddhav Thackeray.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leaders had claimed the BMC was not accepting the resignation of Latke as it was “under pressure”. However, officials at the BMC had said the procedure to look into her resignation is still ongoing. According to them, employees who resign from the civic body have to serve a compulsory 30-day notice period before they are relieved from service.