Mumbai:After much speculation about the contest in Worli, where a Thackeray will fight the elections for the first time, the NCP has decided to field a candidate from the seat. In a late-night development on Thursday, the party declared the name of advocate Suresh Mane.
It was anticipated that in view of Balasaheb Thackeray's stand during Supriya Sule's first election, Sharad Pawar will return the favour this time. In 2006, when Supriya Sule had first decided to contest the Rajya Sabha elections, Balasaheb Thackeray had famously refused to field a candidate against her, saying he was proud that Maharashtra's daughter was to go to Delhi.
In Worli, where Aaditya Thackeray filed his nomination on Thursday, the mood is upbeat. "It is the first time a Thackeray is fighting elections. He is our young hero. He is Shiv Sena's wagh (tiger)," a Shiv Sainik said.
Although NCP candidate Suresh Mane will file his nomination today, the Sena doesn't perceive it as a threat.
They have already got former NCP leader Sachin Ahir in their fold. He was a tough competition for Sena in Worli for quite some time now. And with his induction, the party has already consolidated its hold over the constituency.
"It isn't a matter of victory or defeat, it is a matter of victory with how much record margin," Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant said.
A close aide of Sena chief had on Monday said, "Aaditya Thackeray's name has been finalised for the Worli because the assembly segment is considered as one of the safest constituencies for the Sena. Former NCP leader Sachin Ahir had recently joined the Sena, which will make Thackeray's win easy."
The Shiv Sena has been projecting Aaditya as the chief ministerial face if the NDA returns to power after the next month's assembly polls. Uddhav Thackeray had last week also recalled the "promise" he had made to his late father Bal Thackeray to install a 'Shiv Sainik' (party worker) as the chief minister of Maharashtra.
Comments
0 comment