Following the announcement of Maharashtra's assembly election dates, Shiv Sena held a key meeting with its office bearers on Friday. During the gathering, there was strong support for Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to be projected as the party’s candidate for the chief ministerial post in the upcoming elections. Party leaders rallied around Shinde, chanting slogans in his favor and asserting the importance of the saffron flag continuing to fly high in Maharashtra.
The meeting, convened by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, saw the presence of senior leaders like Milind Deora, Ravindra Waikar, Manisha Kayande, Rahul Shewale, and others. MLA Dilip Lande praised Shinde, calling him "Nath ke Nath, Eknath Shinde hai," describing him as a compassionate leader deeply connected to the public's needs. Shrikant Shinde encouraged party workers to spread the Sena's message across Maharashtra, stating, "We just need to work for one month to ensure a Mahayuti government returns.
Despite opposition criticism, the people love Eknath Shinde, who understands their problems better than those born into privilege." Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande reiterated that the party would contest the elections under Eknath Shinde's leadership, especially focusing on retaining its stronghold in Mumbai. She emphasized that candidate selection would be based on electability. The Maharashtra legislative assembly election for 288 seats is set for November 20, with the vote counting scheduled for November 23.