Maharashtra polls 2024: Missing Shiv Sena MLA from Palghar Shrinivas Vanga contacts family after 36 hrs

Shiv Sena MLA Shrinivas Vanga has contacted his family on Wednesday morning after around 36 hours. The Shiv Sena MLA who went missing after he was denied an Assembly ticket from Palghar to contest in Maharashtra elections. 

His wife Suman Vanga said that her husband returned home at around 3 am and met the family briefly. She added that he left again, saying he needed rest. Vanga is likely to be away for two days. 

Vanga left home on Monday without telling anyone and went incommunicado. After this, the family filed a police complaint and the police launched a search for the missing MLA, as per newswire PTI. 

Vanga's family members searched for him and expressed concerns over his state of mind. They said that he not only stopped interacting with them and having food but was also crying and threatened to harm his own life. 

Upon learning about the situation, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reportedly contacted Vanga's wife and assured her that her husband will be considered for a role as a member of the state legislative council. 

Shrinivas Vanga, the son of late BJP leader Chintaman Vanga, won the 2019 elections as the candidate of the then undivided Shiv Sena from the Palghar seat.

After a split in the Shiv Sena in 2022, Vanga supported Eknath Shinde and was hoping to get renominated from Palghar. The Shinde Sena, however, nominated former MP Rajendra Gavit, who also sided with Shinde when he rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray's government in 2022. 

Rajendra Gavit rejoined the party in October this year, four months after leaving the BJP when he was denied the Lok Sabha ticket from Palghar. Soon after he was denied a ticket from the Palghar seat, Vanga said that he committed a "grave mistake" by siding with Shinde and joining faction of the Shiv Sena.

He also described Thackeray as "dev manus' (Godlike man). Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.

(With agency inputs)