Solapur, Nov 20 (UNI) In a major setback to the Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction) in Solapur South assembly constituency, veteran Congress leader and former chief minister Sushilkumar Shinde extended support to independent candidate Dharmaraj Kadadi on the day of polling for the Maharashtra Assembly elections on Wednesday.

While talking to reporters here after casting his vote, he announced his support to independent candidate from Solapur South, saying "I have been voting at this polling station for many years and now Dharmaraj Kadadi is the candidate in this constituency."

Dilip Mane, who was earlier nominated for this constituency but did not get the form from the Congress party, also supported Kadadi.

He said that he was elected twice from this constituency and now he is supporting independent candidate Dharmaraj Kadadi.

Speaking on occasion, MP Praniti Shinde said, "We had given the candidate earlier, but at the last minute he was not given the OB form and as a result, Dilip Mane had to withdraw the application."

She further said that Shiv Sena (Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut had said that minor repairs would be done, but they did not do it.

So now, they are with Dharmaraj Kadadi, she added.

UNI Team SS