Shaina NC joins Shiv Sena after Eknath Shinde’s party fields her on BJP ticket

BJP leader Shaina NC surprisingly featured on Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena candidates’ list on Monday after the party fielded her from Mumbai’s Mumbadevi Assembly seat though on a BJP ticket. However, hours later, the 51-year-old jumped ship to the Shiv Sena ahead of next month’s assembly elections.
Shaina NC was among 15 candidates named by the Shiv Sena on Monday. A fashion designer by profession, she was keen to contest from Worli. However, the seat was ultimately given to Shiv Sena’s Rajya Sabha MP and former Congress leader Milind Deora, who is pitted against Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aaditya Thackeray of the Shiv Sena (UBT).
Shaina NC thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Eknath Shinde and his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar for giving her an opportunity to contest the election.
Later, speaking to news agency ANI, Shaina NC said it was an opportunity for her to serve the Mumbai citizens and said she would visit the Mumba Devi Temple on Tuesday morning before filing her nomination.

(Photo source: X/@ShainaNC)

“I would like to thank PM Modi and the leadership of Mahayuti because I believe this is an opportunity to serve my Mumbaikars and to show that we are here as ‘pradhan sewaks’ (prime servants) in every field. I have been living in South Mumbai all my life and I realise the kind of challenges citizens here have to face, whether it is cluster development, local hygiene, or open spaces,” she said.
“It is always the Mahayuti leadership who decides which candidate should be fielded from where. I don’t want to just be an MLA, but I want to be their voice. I believe that it is the collective consciousness of the administration, the legislation, and the citizens, that needs to be showcased in terms of good public service,” she added.
“I assure the people that I have no personal assistant and I answer all my calls. I will always be accessible and accountable to my citizens and all my voters. Tomorrow (Tuesday) morning, I will go to Mumba Devi Temple and I will then go to file my nomination,” she further said.
Like Shaina NC, Sanjana Jadhav, the daughter of former Union Minister and BJP leader Raosaheb Danve, was also nominated from Kannad Assembly seat on a BJP ticket. But, she too joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena later.
Meanwhile, two candidates – Ashokrao Mane from Jan Surajya Shakti Party and Rajarshi Shahu Vikas Aghadi’s Rajendra Yedraokar – who are also a part of the Mahayuti alliance, have been fielded from Hatkanangle and Shirol seats, respectively.
Here is the list of 15 candidates declared in Shiv Sena’s fresh list:
Sinkhed Raja: Shashikant Khedekar
Ghanasvangi: Hikamat Udhan
Kalyan Rural: Rajesh More
Kannad: Sanjana Jadhav (earlier on BJP ticket)
Bhandup West: Ashok Patil
Mumbadevi: Shaina NC (earlier on BJP ticket)
Sangmaner: Amol Khatal
Shrirampur: Bhausaheb Kamble
Nevasa: Vittalrao Patil
Dharashiv: Ajit Pingale
Karmala: Digvijay Bagal
Barshi: Rajendra Raut
Guhagar: Rajesh Bendal
Hatkanangle: Ashokrao Mane (Jan Surajya Shakti Party)
Shirol: Rajendra Yedraokar (Rajarshi Shahu Vikas Aghadi)
Maharashtra, which has 288 assembly seats, will vote in a single phase on November 20. Counting of votes will be held on November 23.