Congress cannot stake claim to Aurangabad constituency for next LS polls, says Chandrakant Khaire

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader  Chandrakant Khaire said the Congress cannot stake claim to the Aurangabad constituency in Maharashtra for the next Lok Sabha polls as Shiv Sena (undivided) had won this seat multiple times in the past.

Khaire, who represented the Aurangabad constituency four times before losing to AIMIM's Imtiaz Jaleel in 2019, said the seat would remain with Shiv Sena (UBT)- one of the three constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

MVA, which also comprises National Congress Party (NCP) and Congress, has decided to contest the next LS elections together and talks on seat sharing are likely to begin soon. Congress cannot stake a claim as Shiv Sena (undivided) has won this seat multiple times with the only exception of Ramkrishna Baba Patil of Congress, Khaire claimed while speaking to reporters.

He also claimed that Shiv Sena (undivided) won five (of six) Assembly segments in the Aurangabad constituency in the last Assembly elections. This shows we have an upper hand here and this seat will go to Shiv Sena (UBT), Khaire said.  He said various events are being planned by the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena to mark the Shiv Sena Foundation Day in Marathwada region on June 8. Notably, the Shiv Sena faction headed by chief minister Eknath Shinde had also staked claim to the Aurangabad LS seat.

Speaking on the upcoming Shiv Sena Foundation Day events in Marathwada region, Khaire said a party meeting will be held on June 8 which will be addressed by Sanjay Raut. Later, constituency-wise meetings will be held in Aurangabad.