In a surprising turn of events post-election, Independent Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Gokul Gite announced that he will serve as an associate member of the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde in the state legislature. This decision was revealed during a press conference attended by Shiv Sena leaders, including State Industries Minister Uday Samant and Member of Parliament Shrikant Shinde, shortly after Gite’s unexpected victory in the Nashik Local Authorities Constituency.
Gite, emphasizing the public’s support, stated that he proactively approached the ruling party leadership. He mentioned reaching out to key Shiv Sena figures like Shrikant Shinde, Uday Samant, Unmesh Patil, and Suhas Kande to express his willingness to collaborate as an associate member in the Legislative Council. Following his request, Gite was welcomed to Eknath Shinde’s official residence in Mumbai, where he was granted permission to work with the Shiv Sena and was assured of potential organizational responsibilities in the future.
The Nashik constituency, originally allocated to the Shiv Sena under the Mahayuti alliance’s seat-sharing arrangement, witnessed a significant upset as Gite, previously associated with the BJP, contested as an independent candidate, defeating the official Shiv Sena nominee Narendra Darade. Gite clarified his political background, highlighting that he is not currently an active BJP member and detailing the circumstances that led to his independent candidacy.
