The release of the official list of Shiv Sena candidates for the Assembly elections today triggered protests across party units in the state. Forty-four sitting MLAs today figured in the first list of 84 candidates announced by the Shiv Sena for the October 13 Assembly polls. Prominent MLAs renominated were Narayan Rane, Ramdas Kadam, Prabhakar More, Baban Gholap, Dr Jayprakash Mundada, according to the list published in the party’s mouth-piece Saamna here today.Hours after the announcement was made, several Sainiks from Bhavani Peth constituency resigned to protest the renomination of sitting MLA Deepak Paigude.In a letter to Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, activists called Paigude a ‘‘blot’’ on party, accusing him of indiscipline and said they would not accept him as the party candidate. The letter was signed by vibhagpramukh Ajit Malekar. Paigude’s renomination has come as a shock for local Sena workers because of his association with Raj Thackeray. Despite a strong lobby against him, Paigude has been given a ticket for the third time.Elsewhere in Pune, the Sena preferred sitting members Vinayak Nimhan (Shivajinagar) and Gajanan Babar (Haveli). For Pune Cantonment, Leelawati Tupe, NCP leader Vitthal Tupe’s widow, has been given the ticket.NCP MLA Shirish Khotwal, who was disqualified during the 2001 political crisis, found his name included in the list from Chandwad. The Sena has also decided to sponsor the candidature of disqualified NCP MLA from Khed-Alandi, Narayan Pawar.
