The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on April 1 expressed confidence it would at least be contesting on 16 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the State, even as the tussle over the key Nashik Lok Sabha seat in northern Maharashtra continued among the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
Given that the incumbent MP of Nashik – Hemant Godse – is from the Shinde Sena, the party has claimed the Nashik seat as belonging to its quota. However, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction is aggressively gunning for the candidacy of senior Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, currently an MLA from Yeola in Nashik. Last week, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena has announced its first list of eight candidates.
Shinde Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat maintained that his party would not settle for less than 16 Lok Sabha seats.
