The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction alleged that Rutuja Latke, their candidate for the November 3 byelection to Andheri East Assembly seat in Mumbai, was being pressured by the Eknath Shinde camp to contest on their ticket.
According to the report of PTI, the byelection, necessitated by the death of incumbent Sena MLA and Rutuja Latke's husband Ramesh Latke, would be the first electoral test for the Uddhav Thackeray faction following the split in the party in June this year.
After the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government collapsed in June, Eknath Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister of Maharashtra along with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis as deputy CM.
Rutuja Latke said she has not met CM Shinde and maintained that she will contest the bypoll on the Thackeray faction's 'mashaal' symbol.
Talking to reporters here, former Maharashtra minister Anil Parab, belonging to the Thackeray faction, claimed Rutuja Latke's resignation as an administrative officer in the K ward of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was not being accepted to force her to contest as the Shinde group's candidate.
Parab said Rutuja Latke has moved the high court in this matter, and expressed confidence that she will remain loyal to the Thackeray-led Sena faction.
"The Andheri East seat belonged to the Shiv Sena. We will contest and win. You will know our next course of action if Rutuja Latke is unable to contest," he said.