In a significant political development ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly Elections, Swikriti Sharma, wife of former controversial encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, has withdrawn her candidacy from the Andheri East constituency. Reports indicate that her decision came after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured her of a Member of Legislative Council (MLC) seat should their party return to power.
Expressing gratitude, Sharma stated, ?I would like to thank Shinde sir. For the last 10 years, we have been in social service. We got an opportunity to work on a bigger platform. The CM sir has promised us that he will give us MLC,? in an interview with ANI.
Prior to her withdrawal, on October 28, Pradeep Sharma had announced that Swikriti would contest as an independent candidate for Andheri East. This decision followed her exclusion from the Shiv Sena's candidate list for the upcoming elections. ?Things don't always go as planned, but that's politics. With 25,000 supporters from Andheri East, we will file the nomination tomorrow. I am confident people will support my wife when the results are announced on November 23. This isn't a revolt; it's a response to the people's call for us to contest,? he said to ANI, reflecting on their political journey.
As the couple navigated this political landscape, Swikriti emphasized their commitment to public service, asserting, ?We've never engaged in politics, nor do we plan to in the future. Our focus is on serving the people? We're not upset with any political figure or party, but we are disappointed with the candidate selected. People know who truly represents them.?
In the race for Andheri East, the ruling Mahayuti alliance has nominated former corporator and BJP member Murji Patel on a Shiv Sena ticket. Both the Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), consisting of the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress, are working tirelessly to secure victories in the forthcoming state elections.
The Maharashtra Assembly elections are set for November 20, with vote counting for all 288 constituencies scheduled for November 23. In the previous assembly elections held in 2019, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena secured 56, and Congress claimed 44. In 2014, the BJP had a more commanding lead with 122 seats, followed by Shiv Sena with 63 and Congress with 42. The political dynamics in Maharashtra continue to shift as parties prepare for a fiercely competitive election season.
