Lok Sabha elections 2024: Will follow raj dharma and campaign against son, says Gajanan Kirtikar

Amol Kirtikar has been fielded from Mumbai North West seat by rival Shiv Sena (UBT)

Mumbai North West Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar on Friday said he will follow ‘raj dharma’ and will campaign against his son Amol, who has been fielded from the same seat by the rival Shiv Sena (UBT). The two-time MP, denied a ticket for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, said he would seek votes in favour of Ravindra Waikar, who has been fielded from Mumbai North West seat by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Gajanan Kirtikar

Kirtkar, who sided with Shinde following the latter’s rebellion and split in the Sena in June 2023, also accompanied Waikar during the nomination filing process earlier in the day. Incidentally, Waikar was a close aide of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray but shifted allegiance to the Shinde faction recently.

“I am in dharma sankat (deep quandary). But I will follow raj dharma as I belong to the Sena led by Chief Minister Shinde. I will start campaigning for Waikar,” Kirtikar told PTI. Kirtikar is a four time MLA and one of the functionaries of the Shiv Sena since its inception several decades ago.

Nirupam returns to Shiv Sena after 19 years

Former Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam on Friday joined the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The former Mumbai MP’s political journey, thus, came a full circle as he had left the undivided Shiv Sena, then led by Bal Thackeray, 19 years ago. Chief Minister Shinde welcomed Nirupam—whom Congress had expelled for “anti-party activities” last month—into the Sena at a function. Nirupam will work as Shiv Sena deputy leader and spokesperson, Shinde announced. Notably, the Shiv Sena has a number of ‘deputy leaders’. Nirupam, 59, began his political career as editor of ;Dophar Ka Saamana’, the Hindi mouthpiece of the Shiv Sena, in the 1990s, and became the party’s North Indian face.

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