Maharashtra Elections 2024: Thane Press Conference Reveals Audio Clip Of Congress Rebel Manoj Shinde's Call With Party Leader Over Independent Candidacy

Thane: One audio clip has gone viral on social media in which it can be heard that Manoj Shinde, a rebel from Congress called Vikrant Chavan, the president of Thane Congress, over the phone, to file a nomination as an independent and took permission, apparently contest the election in the Kopari-Panchpakhadi assembly. Chavan permitted him to file nomination as an independent.

Rebel Manoj Shinde claimed that the phone conversation, audio clip between him and Vikrant Chavan regarding nomination as an independent has been revealed.

On November 10, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress committee issued a statement regarding the expulsion of two rebel leaders, Manoj Shinde and Suresh Khede, from Thane. Both of them filed their nominations as independents in the Kopari-Panchpakhadi constituency for the 2024 assembly elections.

Manoj Shinde said, "He warned Chavan to file a defamation case against Chavan if he did not prove the Rs 3 crores in 42 hours, he took money from a prominent builder of Thane to contest elections." Sources said that Chavan purportedly made an allegation that Shinde took money from a builder of Thane. On Monday, Manoj Shinde held a press conference that the accusations levelled against him are totally baseless and fabricated.

When FPJ contacted Vikrant Chavan, the president of Thane Congress, he told that rebels Manoj Shinde and Suresh Khede have been suspended from the party. He said no comment regarding the audio clip.

A total of nine candidates are in the fray, including two rebel candidates Manoj Shinde and Suresh Khede. Congress Thane President Vikrant Chavan addressed the media following a meeting of party district presidents with senior Congress leader and MLA Ramesh Chenithalla, who is also the All India Congress Committee in-charge of Maharashtra.

The 2024 Kopri-Pachpakhadi Assembly election in Maharashtra is shaping up to be a competitive race, with CM Eknath Shinde, Kedar Prakash Dighe from UBT, and Babukumar Kashinath Kamble from Lokrajya Party among the key candidates, as the constituency prepares to vote on November 20.

In addition to the election, Vilas Patil, who owns the party Konark Vikas Agadhi, recently joined Congress and hoped to receive a ticket from Bhiwandi West.

However, the ticket has been given to Dayanand Choraghe, a leader from Bhiwandi Congress. Subsequently, Patil left the party, and the rebel Patil filed his nomination as an independent in Bhiwandi West. The Maharashtra Congress Pradesh Committee suspended Vilas Patil from Congress.