Thane LS seat: Irked BJP workers quit party posts

BJP functionaries tender resignations after Shiv Sena announces Naresh Mhaske as Thane candidate; say BJP leader Ganesh Naik’s son Sanjeev was preparing to campaign for the past six months; there are four sitting BJP MLAs in the constituency and two municipal corporations are with the party

- SURESH GOLANI KALPESH

A day after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced the nomination of Naresh Mhaske from the Thane Lok Sabha constituency as the Mahayuti candidate, BJP workers and office-bearers from Navi Mumbai and MiraBhayandar resorted to mass resignation in protest. Many others announced their decision to not campaign for Mhaske. The Thane constituency includes MiraBhayandar, Kopri-Pachpakhadi, Ovala-Majiwada, was Thane, Airoli and Belapur.

During a meeting called on Thursday by Navi Mumbai BJP leader Ganesh Naik in Kopar Khairane, party workers shouted slogans, claiming that former MP Sanjeev Naik (son of Ganesh Naik) was preparing for the past six months and that the decision to pick Mhaske shocking. Many party functionaries tendered their resignations at the meeting.