Shiv Sena leader gets poll ticket at crematorium while performing mother’s last rites in Maharashtra

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A bizarre incident unfolded in Maharashtra ahead of the elections to 29 municipal corporations, after a Shiv Sena leader got his party ticket while he was performing her mother's last rites at a crematorium.

Yogesh Gonnade, a leader from the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and a contender in the upcoming Nagpur Municipal Corporation elections, was handed his party’s AB form at the cremation ground as he was bidding his final farewell to his mother.

The unusual moment occurred just hours before the 3 pm deadline for filing nomination papers.

With time running out, party leaders reportedly went straight to the crematorium to ensure that Gonnade received the necessary documents. Speaking about the incident, Gonnade said that the grief of his mother’s death, coupled with the sudden acceptance of his candidacy, left him deeply emotional.

He also said that he had earlier lost hope of contesting the civic polls. The Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) has nominated Gonnade from Ward No 5 of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation. In another notable move, the party has also fielded his daughter, Kritika, as its candidate from Ward No. 8.

This is not the first unusual incident to surface ahead of Maharashtra’s municipal corporation elections. Only a few days ago, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was denied a ticket, triggering an emotional scene. A video of the incident showed her breaking down and pleading with a former MLA to allow her to contest the elections.

The latest developments underline the intense and often emotional nature of ticket distribution as political parties rush to finalise candidates ahead of crucial civic polls.