Ahilyanagar UBT unit upset as NCP (SCP) gets Ahmednagar city

Nashik: The Ahilyanagar unit of Shiv Sena (UBT) is upset with the party top brass for giving Ahmednagar city seat to NCP (SCP) in the upcoming assembly polls. The local UBT unit on Monday had a meeting during which they decided to field an independent candidate from the seat where NCP (SCP) candidate and former mayor Abhishek Kalamkar would be contesting against the sitting NCP MLA Sangram Jagtap.UBT Ahilyanagar president Sashikant Gade said two party functionaries, including himself, would file nominations on Tuesday as independents. "This constituency is a stronghold of Shiv Sena, and the party has won this seat five times in the past. We met our party top brass at least four times during the seat-sharing talks to ensure that the party retained the seat. We are crestfallen that the NCP (SCP) declared its candidate from the seat," said Gade.He also predicted that it would be extremely difficult for Kalamkar to defeat Jagtap who has been winning the seat since 2014. UBT sources said during the meeting, a large section of the local party cadre expressed that they would not work for the NCP (SCP) nominee as a mark of protest."The party's strength in this constituency can be gauged from the fact that in the last Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation polls Sena won the most seats (24). Even after the split in the party, most of the cadre in Ahilyanagar remained with Uddhav Thackeray. The sentiments of the cadre have been hurt as the NCP (SCP) walked away with the seat," said Gade.From MVA side, of the 12 assembly seats in Ahilyanagar, NCP (SCP) will be contesting six, Congress three, and UBT two. Ahilyanagar NCP (SCP) unit functionaries said they are in touch with their counterparts in UBT. "We will resolve the issue so the functionaries of the three local units of the MVA can campaign together for Kalamkar," an office-bearer said.
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