Maharashtra Elections 2024: 'Missing' Palghar MLA from Shinde Sena returns home

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Shiv Sena MLA Shrinivas Vange, who is the sitting MLA at Palghar constituency in Maharashtra, has returned home two days after being unreachable, PTI reported.

According to PTI, his family members earlier had said to the media that the Palghar MLA was upset since he was denied a ticket by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena for the upcoming Maharashtra Elections 2024. He had been unreachable since Monday evening.

His family did not file any police complaint.

Following his return on Wednesday, Vanga said, "I needed rest and hence decided to be away from home and others for a couple of days."

He did not explain on where he had gone for the past two days.

On Monday, Vanga had told PTI that he had committed a "grave mistake" by taking sides with the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde during the rebellion and joined his party. Videos of Vanga's emotional response had gone viral on social media platforms.

Shrinivas Vanga, the son of the late BJP MP Chinataman Vanga, became an MLA following his win in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections as a candidate of the undivided Shiv Sena from the Palghar constituency (Scheduled Tribes).

After a split in the Sena in 2022, he sided with Eknath Shinde. He was hoping to get renominated from the Palghar seat by the party.

The Sena nominated former MP Rajendra Gavit, who had also sided with Shinde and few other MLAs in their rebellion against Shiv Sena chief Uddhav-Thackeray's leadership in 2022.

Vanga further described Uddhav Thackeray, who now heads Shiv Sena (UBT), as a "dev manus", PTI reported

Before he went missing, his family members showed concern over his present state of mind and said he had not only stopped interacting with them and having food, but was also crying and threatening to harm his own life.

After learning about the situation, CM Shinde had reportedly contacted Vanga's wife, assuring that her husband would be considered for a role as a member of the Maharashtra State Legislative Council, reported PTI.

The Maharashtra assembly elections 2024 to the 288-member assembly will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.

As many as 7,995 candidates have filed 10,905 nominations with the Election Commission (EC) for the polls, a statement issued by the office of the state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said on Tuesday.