MUMBAI, Maharashtra (October 23, 2024): Bal Mane, a former BJP MLA from Ratnagiri, officially joined Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday at Matoshree in Mumbai, ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Mane's decision to leave the BJP comes after he was reportedly dissatisfied with the Mahyuti's candidate selection for the Ratnagiri constituency.
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Mane, who has a long history with the BJP, first contested the assembly elections in 1999 and won. He faced Uday Samant in the 2004, 2009, and 2014 elections but was defeated each time. Following these losses, Mane remained out of the political spotlight for several years. However, he became active again ahead of this year’s Lok Sabha elections and began campaigning for the BJP, expressing interest in contesting as well.
After Narayan Rane was nominated for the Lok Sabha, Mane shifted his focus to the Ratnagiri Assembly constituency. Local BJP leaders had repeatedly requested the Ratnagiri seat, but it was expected to go to the Eknath Shinde led Sena. Consequently, Mane decided to pursue options with either Shiv Sena (UBT) or as an independent candidate.