Shrinivas Vanga, only MLA denied ticket by Shinde-led Shiv Sena, has gone missing: Family
Shrinivas Vanga had made clear his displeasure and accused Eknath Shinde of cheating him despite having been loyal to him in his rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership.
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Shrinivas Vanga hoped to be renominated for the Palghar seat by the Sena. (X/ShrinivasVanga)Shrinivas Vanga, the only Shiv Sena MLA who was denied an Assembly election ticket by the party led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has gone missing since Monday, his family said.
According to his family members, the Palghar MLA has for the past two days been upset, gone into depression and even become suicidal.
Vanga’s wife told the media that Vanga had stopped eating and been crying till he left home on Monday evening without informing anyone, adding that the MLA had since been incommunicado, with both of his mobile phones switched off.
Shrinivas, son of late BJP MP Chintaman Vanga, won the 2019 Assembly elections as a candidate of the undivided Shiv Sena from the Palghar (Scheduled Tribes) constituency. After the Sena split, Vanga supported Shinde, who launched a rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership in June 2022 and went on to become the chief minister.
Vanga hoped to be renominated for the Palghar seat by the Sena. However, the party has fielded former MP Rajendra Gavit, who had also supported Shinde and a few MLAs in their rebellion against Thackeray.
On Monday, while speaking to reporters, Vanga made clear his displeasure and accused Shinde of cheating him despite having been loyal to him. He said, “I have committed a grave mistake by siding with CM Eknath Shinde and joining his party.”
While denying him the Palghar ticket, Vanga was told by his party leaders that results of an internal survey were negative for him and that he would not be re-elected from the constituency in the Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024.
According to sources, Shinde had recently assured Vanga of the Dahanu seat as the candidate of the BJP, one of his party’s ruling allies.
According to sources, Shinde recently assured Vanga that he would be the BJP candidate for the Dahanu seat, but the party, part of the ruling alliance, gave the seat to Vinod Medha.
On Monday, Vanga broke down while speaking to reporters at his home. He regretted leaving Uddhav Thackeray, who he said was “like a god figure” to him, for Shinde. He also apologised to Thackeray.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Shinde-led Sena are trying to placate Vanga with a promise to make him a member of the Legislative Council.
Local leaders of the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) who visited Vanga’s home on Monday night could not meet him.
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