Maharashtra Polls 2024: Shiv Sena MLA Srinivas Vanga goes missing after party denies ticket, ’regrets’ siding CM Shinde

Palghar MLA Shrinivas Vanga, the only Shiv Sena lawmaker who was denied a ticket for the 2024 Maharastra Assembly elections by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has been missing from his home since Monday evening.

Vanga, son of BJP's late MP Chintaman Vanga, has reportedly been unreachable for the last several hours, with his phones switched off. According to his family, the MLA has been upset for the past two days after the party denied him an Assembly election ticket and gave the candidature to former MP Rajendra Gavit, who had also sided with Shinde when he rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray's leadership in June 2022.

Vanga won Palghar seat in 2019 as a Shiv Sena candidate before the party split. He later supported Shinde’s faction during the rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership, expecting to be re-nominated.

Earlier on Monday, the Shiv Sena legislator said he committed a "grave mistake" by leaving Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and joining the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

"I made a grave mistake by joining the Shinde-led faction," PTI quoted Vanga saying after being denied re-nomination by the party. He also described Shinde's rival and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray as a "dev manus" (Godlike man).

His family members have expressed concern over his present state of mind, and said he has not only stopped interacting with them and having food, but is also crying and threatening to harm his own life.

Meanwhile, reacting to the development, Shiv Sena-UBT Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “MLA Shrinivas Vanga one of the 40 traitors who went with Eknath Shinde is crying and saying he made a huge mistake and Sh. Uddhavji is like god in comparison. All this realisation after he has been royally used and thrown by Shinde.

Meanwhile, leaders of the Shinde-led Sena are trying to placate Vanga with a promise to make him a member of the Legislative Council.

Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.