MUMBAI: Shiv Sena received a shot in the arm as the Left-oriented Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) on Saturday night decided to support their
candidates in the Lok Sabha elections. This will be a big jolt to Congress leader and Union minister A R Antulay who filed his nomination from Raigad constituency. The PWP has strong base in this coastal district and controls the zilla parishad. It will also be a setback for the Third Front-PWP has always been an ally-being set up by the Left and Janata Dal.

A meeting was held between Sena candidate from Raigad Anant Geete and PWP strongman Jayant Patil, following which the announcement was made. Geete confirmed that the PWP had decided to back Sena candidates in Raigad and Maval and other constituencies. “They have joined hands with us only because they want to defeat the Congress,” he said.

But PWP MLA Ganpatrao Deshmukh had already declared that he would back NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who is contesting from Madha.