BJP Mumbai President Ashish Shelar's praise of Narayan Rane on Twitter, has not gone down well with the Shiv Sena, its alliance partner, which has pitted a candidate against Nilesh Rane in Ratnagiri–Sindhudurg Lok Sabha constituency. While Shelar has indirectly criticised the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), his tweet in Marathi is being seen as praise for Rane, who has been very vocal about his criticism of Shiv Sena.

Shiv Sena's sitting MP Vinayak Raut is contesting against veteran leader Rane's son Nilesh, and Congress candidate Navinchandra Bandivadekar. Nilesh is contesting on the ticket of the party formed by his father, Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksha.