Shiv Sena (UBT) eyeing eight Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai metropolitan for 2024 contest

The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena is keen to contest 8 out of the 10 Lok Sabha constituencies in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region with some 'give and take' in the next elections, sources said on Tuesday.

Thackeray has been holding consultations with the party workers and leaders for the last few days. On Tuesday, he met with office-bearers from the Mumbai North East and the Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituencies.

The Shiv Sena (undivided) had won three of the total six LS constituencies in Mumbai in 2019 when it contested in alliance with BJP.

Besides Mumbai South, Mumbai South Central, and Mumbai Northwest seats, the Shiv Sena had also won Kalyan, Thane, and Palghar seats in the last elections.

However, MPs from Mumbai South Central, Mumbai North West, Palghar, and Kalyan have switched their loyalties to the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) has now staked claims to Kalyan, represented by CM Shinde's son Shrikant Shinde, Thane, Palghar, and Bhiwandi seats in the MMR region along with the Mumbai North East.

'We have a candidate in the former Mumbai North East MP Sanjay Dina Patil who has joined Shiv Sena (UBT) and we are keen to contest from this seat. We are ready to leave Mumbai North Central and Mumbai North seats for the Congress and the NCP,' Shiv Sena (UBT) sources said.

The Congress had contested the Bhiwandi seat in the previous elections but we are keen to fight this time, they said.

BJP's Poonam Mahajan had defeated Priya Dutt of Congress from Mumbai North Central. The Mumbai North seat is a BJP fortress. In 2019, sitting MP Gopal Shetty won with a huge margin by defeating actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar, who contested on Congress ticket.

BJP's Kapil Patil had defeated Congress' Suresh Taware in Bhiwandi while the Palghar seat was won by Shiv Sena (undivided).

'We will discuss our stand with Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies during deliberations,' sources said.