Shiv Sena leader Anandrao Adsul expresses displeasure after being ignored for RS polls

Mumbai, Mar 6 (PTI) Senior Shiv Sena leader Anandrao Adsul has expressed displeasure at his party for not nominating him as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

Shiv Sena’s Jyoti Waghmare filed her nomination papers on Thursday, making her the sole candidate of the party.

Adsul, a former Union minister, said on Thursday that he had communicated to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, that he was upset.

Adsul claimed the BJP had assured him that he would be made a governor. The five-time MP said the promise was made after he was persuaded not to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and to forgo his claim in favour of BJP candidate and then incumbent MP Navneet Rana from Amravati.

“Why should I not be upset?” Adsul asked.

“Now, 10 governors have been appointed. Forget the governor’s post, at least give Rajya Sabha (nomination). Earlier, I was given a written assurance (that he would be made a governor),” Adsul claimed.

The Sena leader said the party should have sent his son Abhijit Adsul to the Upper House of Parliament.

“My son is a former MLA and was a senior pilot. He was appointed the secretary of the Shiv Sena and has helped the party’s growth in other states,” Adsul said.

Former MPs Gajanan Kiritkar, Rahul Shewale and Hemant Godse were also in the race to be picked as Sena nominee for Rajya Sabha.

After Waghmare’s nomination, Shinde had said on Thursday, “A message goes among the workers that the party takes note of hardworking people.” After the Bal Thackeray-founded Shiv Sena split in June 2022, Waghmare, who hails from Solapur, joined the Shinde-led group in April 2023. She was subsequently appointed as Sena’s state spokesperson and district contact chief for Dharashiv. PTI PR NR