Ex-min Baban Gholap resigns from Shiv Sena (UBT) ahead of LS, state polls

Former Maharashtra minister Baban Gholap resigned from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday, ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha and state assembly polls.

Gholap, who represented the Nashik Road-Deolali assembly constituency for five consecutive terms, had in September last year resigned as the deputy leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT) but it was not accepted.

In a one-line letter to Thackeray on Thursday, Gholap said he has resigned from the post of 'Shiv Sainik'. He posted the letter on X.

He has not yet disclosed plans about his future political journey.

Gholap was apparently unhappy over being removed as the party's liaison chief for the Shirdi Lok Sabha constituency last year and former MP Bhausaheb Wakchaure joining the Sena (UBT).

As the liaison chief for Shirdi Lok Sabha seat and an influential leader from the region, he was hopeful of getting a ticket from there in the upcoming general elections, but that might not materialise with Wakchaure's entry, according to political analysts.

Gholap did not attend the Shiv Sena (UBT) convention in Nashik on January 22-23.

Last week, he attended a meeting held by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for various demands of his community members.

Gholap was an MLA from Nashik Road-Deolali assembly seat from 1990 to 2014. In 2014, his son Yogesh Gholap became the MLA from the constituency but lost to NCP's Saroj Ahire in 2019.