Decision has not been made to declare the name of LS candidate for Thane from the Mahayuti. According to sources, Shiv sena MLC Ravindra Phatak could also be a front runner for Thane seat. Though MLA Pratap Sarnaik's Supporters have claimed that his name is likely to get fixed, sources claim that Sarnaik is just for media game and Phatak could be the likely candidate. The BJP hasn't taken the backseat yet. There are names of former Lok Sabha MP and BJP leader Sanjeev Naik and sitting BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar coming ahead but the Shiv Sena leaders claim that the coveted Thane seat will remain to Sena only.
MLC Phatak whose name is coming ahead was last in news when he was sent to Surat by Uddhav Thackeray to talk to rebel MLAs during June 2022 but later, he joined the Eknath Shinde camp. The Mahayuti Melava was conducted today in Thane's Kashinath Ghanekar Nathagruha where bigwigs like Shiv Sena's Pratap Sarnaik, Ravindra Phatak and Naresh Mhaske, BJP's Sanjeev Naik and Sanjay Kelkar and NCP's Anand Paranjpe were present.
While talking to LokmatTimes.com, Purvesh Sarnaik, son of MLA Pratap Sarnaik told, "Whether the candidate will be Pratap Sarnaik or Sanjeev Naik, we wholeheartedly campaign for Mahayuti. We want Narendra Modi ji to become the PM for the 3rd time."
Thane District BJP President Sanjay Waghule told LokmatTimes.com , "Every party feels that they should get the Lok Sabha seat. However, whatever decision will be made in the core committee meeting by Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar will be accepted by party workers."
Meanwhile, UBT Sena has declared the name of Thackeray loyalist Rajan Vichare for Thane Lok Sabha seat in Shinde's home turf. This seat is believed to be the stronghold of Shinde and many Sena leaders have expressed confidence to give a tough fight to Vichare. In 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Vichare got a lead of 4 lakh 20,000 votes. "We want a lead of 5 lakh votes. Opposition is claiming that we are delaying the name of candidature announcement. The situation is not like that. Our prime candidate will be PM Modi. We will definitely emerge victorious in the elections," told the Mahayuti leaders in the Mahamelava.