Sanjay Raut, a leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), announced that the party’s first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra will be formally released on March 26. This initial list, featuring up to 16 names, is being anticipated as part of the Uddhav Thackeray-led opposition party’s strategy within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition in the state. At around the same time, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction of Shiv Sena is also expected to unveil its candidate list shortly, a move confirmed by Rahul Shewale, a party MP.
The election season has been marred by a social media controversy following a disparaging post targeting Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, who is making her political debut with the BJP from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh. The post, issued from the account of Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, prompted stern rebukes from the National Commission of Women and drew a direct response from Ranaut, who criticized the targeting of a woman’s dignity and the plight of sex workers. Despite Shrinate’s claims of ignorance regarding the post and attributing it to unauthorized access to her social media accounts, the incident has led to escalating tensions between political parties, highlighting the plight of women in political discourse.
The Electoral Commission has been urged by the National Commission of Women to take strict action against those who engage in inappropriate commentary on social media. This request comes as the political battleground heats up with the first phase of elections looming on April 19 across 21 States and Union Territories, covering a total of 102 parliamentary constituencies. Bollywood’s entry into this year’s elections, especially the debut of Ranaut and ‘Ramayan’ actor Arun Govil with the BJP, adds a unique dimension to this fervent political theater.