Daijiworld Media Network – Thane

Thane, Jan 2: Former Thane deputy mayor and senior Shiv Sena leader Rajendra Sapte on Thursday staged a protest march after being denied a party ticket for the upcoming January 15 civic elections in the city.

Mr Sapte, who was aspiring to contest from Ward No. 25 (Kalwa), lost his chance after the seat was allotted to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as part of the seat-sharing arrangement between the alliance partners. The Shiv Sena, led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has forged an alliance with the BJP for the Thane municipal polls.

A staunch loyalist of late Anand Dighe, the legendary Shiv Sena leader and mentor of Eknath Shinde, Sapte led the protest march from Kalwa to Anand Dighe’s memorial on Thursday (January 1, 2026), expressing strong displeasure over the decision.

Addressing supporters, Sapte alleged that the BJP had taken Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde by surprise and used “blackmail tactics” to secure the Kalwa seat at the last moment. He said the decision had deeply hurt long-time Shiv Sena workers in the area.

Notably, Mr Sapte has been elected from Kalwa for four consecutive terms, making him a prominent face in local civic politics.

The nomination process for the civic elections commenced on December 23 and concluded on December 30. While January 2 is the final date for withdrawal of nominations, the final list of candidates will be published on January 3.

Elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including the Thane Municipal Corporation, will be held on January 15, with vote counting scheduled for the following day.