No resentment, says Shiv Sena MP as son denied ticket for Thane civic polls

Thane, Dec 31 (PTI) After the Shiv Sena, led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, denied ticket to his son for the upcoming civic polls in Thane, local MP Naresh Mhaske said he was not upset over the move.

In a Facebook post, Mhaske said his family would continue to work for the Shiv Sena with full commitment, as he had never questioned the decisions taken under the leadership of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the party.

Mhaske said his son Ashutosh had worked sincerely and quietly to resolve citizens’ grievances. “He worked not for any post, but purely as a Shiv Sainik. Naturally, citizens were keen that my son should continue working in the same area where I served,” he said, adding that people’s disappointment was understandable.

The Lok Sabha member said Ashutosh remains fully committed to the party. “Positions may come or go, but our dedication to the party will never diminish,” he said.

Though the filing of nominations ended on Tuesday, the Shiv Sena is yet to release the names of its candidates for the 137-member Thane Municipal Corporation. The BJP, Shiv Sena’s ally in Thane for the January 15 elections, shared its list of 40 candidates on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena office-bearers from the Yeoor region in Thane resigned en masse on Tuesday, alleging that local candidates had been neglected in the elections. Earlier, youth leaders Swapnil Landge and Nikhil Budjade had distanced themselves from the party over ticket denials. PTI COR NR