Shiv Sena assigns Lok Sabha constituencies to senior leaders

The leaders who will be tasked with building the party’s strength in north Maharashtra, Marathwada and a few other districts in western Maharashtra and Vidarbha regions are likely to be named soon, said a Sena leader.

Gearing up for the upcoming polls, the Shiv Sena has entrusted responsibilities of various Lok Sabha constituencies to its senior leaders.

Sena leaders said the party had assigned the charge of Thane, Kalyan, Bhiwandi and Palghar Lok Sabha constituencies to its minister Eknath Shinde. Senior minister Subhash Desai has been given the responsibility of managing Raigad and Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha constituencies.

Minister Diwakar Raote has been entrusted with the Lok Sabha constituencies in Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara in the western Maharashtra region. The charge of Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondiya, Wardha, Ramtek and Chandrapur Lok Sabha constituencies in Vidarbha region was given to senior leader and MP Gajanan Kirtikar.

The leaders who will be tasked with building the party’s strength in north Maharashtra, Marathwada and a few other districts in western Maharashtra and Vidarbha regions are likely to be named soon, said a Sena leader.

“We need to start preparations for the polls. Leaders are expected to work on the constituencies assigned to them. The exercise will also help to build the party in Assembly constituencies wherever it is weak,” said the leader.

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has in the past few months toured Aurangabad, Pune, Nagpur and Nashik districts to interact with the party’s elected representatives and district leaders in view of the upcoming polls. He also reviewed the party’s preparedness for the Lok sabha and Assembly constituencies in the regions, said another party leader.