The Shiv Sena fielded Rajashree Patil, wife of Hingoli MP Hemant Patil, from the Yavatmal-Washim Lok Sabha constituency in eastern Maharashtra, replacing the party’s sitting MP Bhavana Gawli.
In a central Maharashtra constituency, Hingoli, the party led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde replaced sitting MP Hemant Patil with Baburao Kadam-Kohlikar.
Initially declared as a candidate in the party’s first list, Hemant Patil was replaced following opposition from the local unit of its ally BJP.
Kohlikar currently serves as the Hingoli district unit president of the Shiv Sena.
The Shiv Sena has announced candidates for nine seats thus far. The party has dropped three sitting MPs, including Ramtek MP Krupal Tumane. There is also speculation regarding the candidacy of Mumbai North-West MP Gajanan Kirtikar, as the rival Shiv Sena (UBT) has nominated Kirtikar’s son Amol Kirtikar for the seat.
Furthermore, uncertainty surrounds the candidature of Shiv Sena’s Nashik MP Hemant Godse, as allies BJP and NCP have both expressed interest in contesting the north Maharashtra seat.
Rajashree Patil and Kohlikar submitted their nomination papers on Thursday in the presence of Chief Minister Shinde before the respective returning officers.
Rajashree Patil will go head-to-head against Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Deshmukh in Yavatmal-Washim, while Kohlikar will face off against Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, also from the rival Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray.