Nashik Shake-Up: Vijay Karanjkar Denied Candidacy by Thackeray, Rajabhau Waje to Step In

The Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray party has released its first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. In the first list, Uddhav Thackeray has announced 17 candidates and in some places, he has also adopted push techniques. Vijay Karanjkar was likely to be given a ticket by Thackeray's Shiv Sena in Nashik Lok Sabha seat. However, Uddhav Thackeray has trusted Rajabhau Waje from this seat and announced his candidature. For the last two weeks, Rajabhau Waje's name was suddenly in the news for the nomination from Nashik. Waje's name was confirmed from Nashik after the Shiv Sena's Uddhav Bal Thackeray party released its candidate list today. 

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Rajabhau Waje is a loyal Shiv Sainik and a former MLA from the Sinnar assembly constituency. In 2014, he was elected from Sinnar on a Shiv Sena ticket. Rajabhau Waje also has a great political legacy. His grandfather Shankar Balaji Waje was the first MLA of Sinnar after the formation of Maharashtra state. His grandmother Rukminibai Waje was elected as the first woman MLA from the Sinnar assembly constituency in 1967. Rajabhau Waje's father Prakash Waje had also contested the 2009 Maharashtra Assembly elections from Sinnar.

After the split in the Shiv Sena in 2022, Shiv Sena MP from Nashik Hemant Godse decided to support Eknath Shinde. However, despite this split, Rajbhau Waje stood firmly behind Uddhav Thackeray. Now, Uddhav Thackeray is said to have rewarded Waje with loyalty by giving him a ticket from Nashik Lok Sabha constituency for the Lok Sabha elections.

Vijay Karanjkar's name was doing the rounds

For months, there was talk in the district that Shiv Sena's Uddhav Bal Thackeray party's Nashik district chief Vijay Karanjkar would be fielded by the party for the Lok Sabha. Karanjkar had also started preparing for the elections by covering the constituency in this regard. Interestingly, just yesterday, Vijay Karanjkar had claimed that his candidature was certain. "The opposition is bound to be defeated. Therefore, misinformation is being spread through status. Uddhav Saheb has ordered me that you have to contest the Lok Sabha elections. So, I will fight and will win with the blessings of the people of Nashik district," said Vijay Karanjkar. However, now that Rajabhau Waje's candidature has been announced by the party, Karanjkar has faced disappointment. 

Meanwhile, it is being said that Rajabhau Waze has been fielded at the last moment as the party leadership is skeptical about the support base of Vijay Karanjkar. It will be interesting to see what role Vijay Karanjkar plays in this election after being denied a ticket.