MUMBAI: After a vertical split in Shiv Sena MLAs, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has been facing another major challenge to keep his organizational flock together.
Thane district Shiv Sena president Naresh Maskhe left Shiv Sena and joined Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde factions while Santosh Bangar, Shiv Sena MLA who left Uddhav Thackeray and joined Shinde. Mr Bangar is also president of Hingoli district Shiv Sena unit. On Friday, Kalya Shiv Sena president Gopal Landge resigned and joined Shinde factions with his loyalists.
Gopal Landge said that he joined Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde factions because Shinde will take forward Balasaheb Thackeray’s Hindutva legacy forward and he is also a true follower of Anand Dighe as well. Maharashtra chief Eknath Shinde claimed his faction is the real Shiv Sena and decided to claim the party symbol – bow and arrow.
“There is a vertical split in the Shiv Sena MLAs and Lok Sabha MPs as well. If the majority of the organizational factions joins Eknath Shinde camp, then Shinde will be able to show the vertical split in lawmakers and party as well and can claim over Shiv Sena as whole. Therefore, BJP has empowered him to giving him chief ministerial post. The power will help Shinde break Shiv Sena and throw out Uddhav Thackeray from party affairs as well,” said a political observer.
Uddhav Thackeray has been also taking a registered affidavit from his district president stating that they are with party president Uddhav Thackeray. If tomorrow, this claim over Shiv Sena reaches the court and in the election commission that time, these affidavits will help Thackeray to show these people were with him. Thackeray has been also collecting documentary support along with emotional backing from his party people.
After resigning as chief minister, Uddhav Thackeray has been having a series of meetings with his party organisation office bearers at Matoshree to avert the further exodus in his party. Uddhav Thackeray told his party workers that he has nothing to offer to them now because he is out of power. “You have to strengthen my hand by giving your support and power. We have to rebuild the party once again. As long as Shiv Sainik is with him, he is not afraid of anything and confident of rebuilding Shiv Sena,” Thackeray said.
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray rushed to his party’s Byculla office after reports of his two party workers being attacked by unidentified people. Thackeray said he is with his Shiv Sainik in their difficult time as well.
Meanwhile NCP chief Sharad Pawar said that Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress should fight the next elections together against the BJP.