Shiv Sena's 'missing' Palghar MLA resurfaces after 36 hours

Palghar Shiv Sena MLA Shrinivas C. Vanga -- who "disappeared" after throwing a public tantrum over denial of ticket in the Assembly polls, and brought focus on "politics of treason" in Maharashtra – resurfaced to contact his family after over 36 hours, early on Wednesday.

His wife Suman S. Vanga told local media that her husband got in touch with the Vanga family early this morning and assured them he was safe -- barely a day after he had cried and expressed apprehensions over the safety and security of his kin, sparking alarms.

"He is disturbed and in deep stress... He said he was tired, so he needed rest. He also consulted a doctor but has again left for an unknown place with his friends," said Suman, saying she did not know his current whereabouts.

Some independent local media claimed that Shrinivas came home to meet his wife, mother and kids in the dead of the night, at around 3 a.m. and after spending some time with them, he again decamped to a secret place with a few trusted friends.

The development happened nearly two days after Shrinivas' outburst shook the state polity ahead of the elections after he was dropped in the Palghar Assembly contest ostensibly due to a poor record and winning prospects.

Rattled by the fallout of Shrinivas' emotional drama and the possibility of a rebellion, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde immediately called up his wife (Suman Vanga) and conveyed his readiness to make him an MLC, but the family was not convinced.

Stung by the rejection, Shrinivas, 42, became emotional, and cried profusely before cameras with an apology to Shiv Sena (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray, calling him a "godly" person.

Shrinivas also unwittingly brought to the limelight the three instances of "political treason" witnessed in November 2019, June 2022 and July 2023, embarrassing the ruling Mahayuti alliance of Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party-Nationalist Congress Party.

In November 2019, BJP's Devendra Fadnavis and (undivided) NCP's Ajit Pawar got up for an early-morning "swearing-in ceremony" of their two-man regime that crashed within 80 hours.

In July 2022, the (undivided) Shiv Sena Minister Eknath Shinde masterminded a coup to topple the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of Thackeray.

In July 2023, Ajit Pawar broke up the (undivided) NCP founded by his uncle Sharad Pawar to join the MahaYuti as a Deputy CM.

Shrinivas' unexpected reaction to his rejection and a tangential attack on Shinde left political circles in a tizzy, with the Mahayuti attempting a damage control and MVA saying it stands vindicated.

SS (UBT) MPs Sanjay Raut, Priyanka Chaturvedi and Deputy Leader Sushma Andhare slammed the MahaYuti CM on the issue, and MVA ally Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar also reacted strongly.

Sharad Pawar had a field day lampooning his nephew Ajit Pawar, bringing the three political "gaddaari" (treason) dramas back to the political centre-stage after Vanga’s dramatics.

"Today, Vanga is weeping... tomorrow even Shinde will cry... It's all 'karma' catching up with them," observed Raut sharply.

Chaturvedi said that Vanga was one of the 40 traitors who has now realised his mistake "after he was royally used and thrown by Shinde", while Andhare said "he is paying for his follies".

"I was dropped every time and suffered injustice... I was also denied a ticket for the Lok Sabha, and now again although the CM Shinde had assured that no MLA would be forced to sit at home. He did not keep his word," said Vanga crying unabashedly in the video that went viral.

"It was because of Thackeray that I got the chance to become MLA. He is a 'god-like' person. I made a blunder leaving him for these traitors who have betrayed me..." declared Shrinivas.

"I worked honestly, but what did I get? Nobody wants honest people. I was even assured a ticket from Dahanu, but that did not happen either," said Shrinivas, naming certain political leaders from Thane as responsible for his predicament.