Mumbai, Feb 15 (PTI) Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP Shrikant Shinde on Sunday dared BJP minister Ganesh Naik to contest against him, the statement once again intensifying the old rivalry between the two political families.
Shinde, son of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and three-time MP from Kalyan, also said Naik suffers from dementia and age related problems.
The statement came a day after Naik said he will permanently make Shrikant Shinde a former MP.
Hitting back, Shrikant said Naik has three “formers” in his residence, a reference to the latter’s sons – former MP Sanjiv Naik and former MLA Sanjeev Naik as well Ganesh Naik himself.
“This is an open challenge. You or your son can contest from Thane or Kalyan. Shrikant Shinde will be in front of you,” the Kalyan MP said.
Thane and Kalyan are strongholds of Eknath Shinde, while Navi Mumbai is a stronghold of Ganesh Naik having controlled its civic body for over the last two-and-half decades. Shinde and Naik are old rivals.
Naik was once the guardian minister of undivided Thane district. He is currently the guardian minister of Palghar district that was carved out of Thane and which is also in the sphere of influence of Shinde.
In the civic body polls, although the Shiv Sena and the BJP contested as allies in several civic bodies, on ground the rivalry did not go unnoticed. In some civic bodies, they fought as arch rivals despite being part of the Mahayuti government. PTI PR BNM
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.