Raj Thackeray led Maharastra NavNirman Sena (MNS) who had in 2014 State Polls managed to bag only single assembly seat suffered a major setback on Monday when it’s Lone’ MLA Sharad Sonavane joined Uddhav Thackeray‘s Shiv Sena. Sonavane was the only MLA from MNS that managed to won his seat in 2014 Maharashtra Assembly Elections.
MLA from Junnar constituency, Sharad Sonavane’s exit will bring down MNS tally to Zero in the Maharashtra Assembly. MNS had in 2009 sent 13 MLAs in the State Assembly against its ‘Lone’ in 2014 Polls.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray welcomed Sharad Sonavane in the party. Speculations about him wanted to change his political Outfit were rife however the move to shift loyalties finally came on Monday.
Shiv Sena welcomed Sonavane and tweeted the image of him joining hands with the party.
जुन्नरमधील मनसेचे आमदार शरद सोनावणे यांनी आज शिवसेना पक्षप्रमुख मा. श्री. उद्धव साहेब ठाकरे यांचा आशीर्वाद घेऊन शिवसेनेत जाहिर प्रवेश केला. pic.twitter.com/UzWaAEJOjp
— ShivSena – शिवसेना Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (@ShivSenaUBT_) March 11, 2019
With just weeks left for Lok Sabha Polls now, the ‘change-game’ will be on height for a couple of weeks. Apart from this, Sujay Vikhe Patil, son of Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil is expected to join hands Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha Polls 2019. Saffron Party who had stitched an alliance with Shiv Sena on 25:23 Seat formula may field Sujay Vikhe Patil from Ahmednagar Parliamentary Constituency.
State Polls in Maharastra are slated for later in the year after Lok Sabha Polls. With the General Elections Schedule announced by Election Commission on Sunday, it is expected the parties in the upcoming days will intensify their hunts to outdo each other in the mega battle of ballots.
General Elections are slated for April-May this year that would spread on Seven Phases starting from April 11 to May 19. Election Commission had on Sunday declared schedule for General Elections 2019.
Maharashtra has a total of 48 Lok Sabha seats, Second highest after Uttar Pradesh. In 2014 General Elections, BJP-Shiv Sena led NDA won 41 Lok Sabha Seats. While Congress was reduced to just 6 Parliamentary seats.
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