Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde factions are concerned about the hard-core Shiv Sainik who has not yet moved away from Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.
According to the Shinde camp, they successfully poached the majority of elected representatives particularly – MLAs and MP, but ground Shiv Sainik has not moved.
“It is true that the majority of local Shiv Sainik still remained with Uddhav Thackeray. Until and unless they move out, we will not be able to elect our people. Therefore, we are having a strategy to get back these hard-core Shiv Sainiks. We are working on various levels. The first is to get the party name and symbol,” said a senior minister of the Shinde government.
He said the legal fight and the Supreme Court order are very crucial for them.
"As per the people's representatives act, we got the majority of MLAs and MPs with our side. Besides, in the last two years, no local body elections happened. So these civic bodies are run by the administrators. If the elected representatives had been there, that would have given advance to Uddhav Thackeray, but now we are having a favourable situation to get the party name and symbol as well.
"The elections commission will give order in our favour. Once this symbol and party name issue is clear, then most of the remaining Shiv Sainik with Uddhav Thackeray will start flocking towards us. The reason everyone wants a secure future. No one will work in an uncertain future and leader party,” said the Shinde camp MLA requesting anonymity.
Rahul Shewale, Shinde camp Lok Sabha MP, said that they are concerned about Mumbai's Sena cadre.
"The local Shiv Sena cadre is still with Uddhav Thackeray, but we have a mega plan for them as well. We will have an area-wise party. We will target building and resolve their issues, then naturally these people will join us. Everyone is concerned about their future and Shiv Sainik will have a future with Shinde and BJP only,” he added.