A man with an extensive criminal record switched parties twice before joining a third - all within the span of eight days - in a desperate bid to secure a ticket for the Maharashtra civic polls.
In Thane, while loyal party workers expressed frustration over being overlooked, Mayur Shinde filed his nomination papers on December 30, the final day for submissions, as a candidate for Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Shinde was active in Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena until December 22. Just a day later, on December 23, he joined the BJP in the presence of State President Ravindra Chavan. He had joined the BJP hoping to secure a ticket for Savarkar Nagar (Ward No. 14); however, when that nomination failed to materialise, he switched allegiances at the last minute to join Ajit Pawar's NCP, finally securing a candidacy.
The candidate faces serious charges, including murder, attempted murder, and extortion, and has previously been prosecuted under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). Shinde previously made headlines when he was arrested for allegedly threatening Sanjay Raut, a key leader of the Uddhav Thackeray faction. In 2017, he sought a ticket from the then-undivided Shiv Sena, but his request was denied.
In the upcoming election for the 131 seats of the Thane Municipal Corporation, the BJP is contesting 40 seats, while the Shinde-led Shiv Sena is contesting 87. Following the trend in Mumbai, Raj Thackeray's MNS and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) have also formed an alliance in Thane. Meanwhile, the Congress and Ajit Pawar's NCP have decided to contest all 131 seats independently.
Voting in Thane will be held on January 15, with the counting of votes scheduled for the following day.
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