Maharashtra Assembly polls: Shiv Sena confident of quelling discontent

All is not well in Shiv Sena after the party struck an alliance with BJP for Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Shiv Sena activists are thronging to Bal Thackeray's residence Matoshree and also at the respective district headquarters to protest against ticket distribution. Party leaders especially from Navi Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Nashik, where Shiv Sena has not got a single seat, are not happy with leadership for giving away all seats to BJP.

Shiv Sena minister told DNA, "Already party president Uddhav Thackeray, senior minister Subhash Desai and Eknath Shinde and other leaders have been in touch with aspirants who are not happy with the seat sharing. The party hopes the situation will be under control soon.''

In Navi Mumbai, Sena activists met party deputy leader Vijay Nahata and expressed strong displeasure for leaving both Airoli and Belapur to BJP. Some of them threatened to contest as independents.

In Panvel constituency, which is in BJP quota, the Shiv Sena Baban Patil has hinted to take a plunge. The trigger is BJP leader Mahesh Badli, who is close to union minister Nitin Gadkari, has filed as an independent in Uran constituency which is contested by Shiv Sena.

In Ambernath constituency, Shiv Sena leader Subodh Bharat has expressed displeasure over party's decision to re-nominate sitting legislator Balaji Kinikar. Bharat has threatened to fight as an independent.

Shiv Sena legislator from Palghar Amit Ghoda today left the party and joined Nationalist Congress Party. Further, former Shiv Sena legislator Daulat Daroda also joined NCP. Daroda was nominated from Shahapur constituency in Thane district where NCP legislator Pandurang Barora has joined Shiv Sena.

In Nashik, Shiv Sena workers expressed their anger after all three seats in the city have gone to BJP. Th party leader Vilas Shinde announced that he may file his nomination against BJP candidate Seema Hirey from Nashik East.