Mumbai: “I have committed a grave mistake of siding with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and joining his party”. These were the words of Srinivas Vanga who went missing on Monday evening. The cops have started a search operation for the missing MLA and heavy bandobast has been deployed at his residence.
Srinivas Vanga, a sitting MLA from Palghar affiliated with Shiv Sena, has been missing since two days after leaving home without notice. This comes amidst Vanga’s disappointment over being denied a party ticket for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections.
Somewhat shy and introvert Srinivas Vanga hardly spoke in the assembly. Though he was in touch with the voters of his constituency, he never raised any important issue in the house. He preferred to sit quietly on the last bench. Eyebrows were raised when he joined Shinde after the split in Shiv Sena.
Softspoken Srinivas first contested Lok Sabha by-election as a Shiv Sena nominee and lost. In the 2019 Assembly election he was elected from Palghar constituency. This time around he was expecting the renomination.
Vanga’s family has since voiced concern over his well-being. They revealed that he has been struggling emotionally, withdrawing from communication and displaying signs of deep distress. His wife Suman, who is also very upset, revealed that he just took a few clothes in a small bag and left the house. The Shiv Sena leader has made no contact with anyone since then. He had reportedly stopped eating, openly weeping and even hinting at self-harm due to the disappointment.
Upon learning of the decision of party leadership, Vanga repeatedly expressed regret over his alliance with Shinde. While speaking to reporters, Vanga was weeping. He praised Uddhav Thackeray as a dev manus (God-like man), further reflecting his regret.
The Chief Minister Shinde reportedly reached out to Vanga’s wife, assuring her that her husband might still be considered for a position in the Maharashtra legislative council seat.
The MLA, son of the late BJP MP Chintaman Vanga, won his seat in 2019 as a Shiv Sena candidate before the party split. He later supported Shinde’s faction during the rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership, expecting to be re-nominated. However, the party announced its candidates over the weekend and selected former MP Rajendra Gavit to represent Palghar, leaving Vanga out. In its list of 20 nominees announced on Sunday, the Shiv Sena fielded Gavit from the Palghar assembly constituency.
The emotional weight of Vanga’s situation has gained widespread attention, with videos of his remarks and tearful moments circulating on social media and news channels, stirring public and political discussions.
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