Around 28 corporators and nearly 200 workers of the Shiv Sena have resigned as they were unhappy that their party was unable to field a candidate for the upcoming Assembly election in Kalyan (East) constituency in Maharashtra, the Hindustan Times reported on Thursday. The seat went to coalition partner Bharatiya Janata Party in the sharing arrangement for the October 21 state elections.

The number of corporators and workers who resigned varied with reports.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ganpat Gaikwad, who is being fielded by the alliance, is the sitting MLA from Kalyan (East) since 2009. Some Shiv Sena workers alleged that Gaikwad has done little for the constituency, and sent resignation letters to party chief Uddhav Thackeray.

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They wanted Dhananjay Bodare of the Shiv Sena to be fielded from the seat. Bodare rebelled against his party after Gaikwad’s candidature was announced, and is now contesting as an independent candidate from the constituency.

“[Gaikwad] is the sitting MLA and has not done a single thing for the constituency,” local Shiv Sena leader Sharad Patil told Hindustan Times. “Since he had failed to work efficiently we thought the alliance will give others a chance. This is why we all have jointly resigned from the party and we will support Bodare in the elections.”

As part of the seat-sharing agreement in the National Democratic Alliance, the Shiv Sena is contesting 124 of the 288 Assembly seats, while the BJP and smaller allies are contesting 164 seats.

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Gaikwad claimed it was a political stunt by Shiv Sena corporators because if they really wanted to resign, they would have submitted it to the municipal commissioner instead of the party chief, The Times of India reported. “They are only trying to pressurise their party to help Borade which is against the alliance,” he said.

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