Unrest in Uddhav camp: Who will make the switch?
The grassroots party workers and former corporators from the Uddhav Thackeray camp are a worried lot, since the Election Commission of India conveyed the party name, Shiv Sena, and the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol to the faction led by chief minister Eknath Shinde last week
Mumbai: The grassroots party workers and former corporators from the Uddhav Thackeray camp are a worried lot, since the Election Commission of India conveyed the party name, Shiv Sena, and the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol to the faction led by chief minister Eknath Shinde last week.
Through the years, being known as a Shiv Sainik was a matter of immense pride for them, and the recent losses translate to a loss of identity as they can no longer claim to be custodians of the late Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s legacy. With Uddhav Thackeray being reduced to a faction head without a name, and the civic polls which will be held later this year, insiders have opined that many former corporators and party workers are expected to switch sides.
It will be a test for Uddhav Thackeray in more ways than one – he needs to protect his loyalists (so that he is not left with a holding on to a dwindling party cadre) and prepare to keep his party’s position in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which has been controlled by Sena for over 30 years.
Shiv Sena spokesperson and former corporator Sheetal Mhatre said eight former BMC corporators from Uddhav’s camp have evinced interest to join them and “at least 50 are in touch with us”. “Some are also coming for the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol which is officially ours. We had been telling them from the beginning that we will win the symbol,” said Mhatre.
So far, 13 MPs and 40 MLAs are with Shinde.
A close Shinde aide has said that some of the former corporators have even approached MP Gajanan Kirtikar to join the camp. Kirtikar confirmed this, saying, “I have not sent any feelers, but there are many fence-sitters who have been calling us – some are undecided, overwhelmed by Uddhav Thackeray’s emotional appeal. But they have to make up their mind.”
“Each former corporator is seeking a confirmed seat. We have to ensure that those who are already with us do not face injustice,” he added. A key minister close to Shinde said, “We know our party is weak at the BMC and we have to strengthen it. Since we have the resources and government backing, we will get many candidates from the Uddhav group. Besides, there are many who will not get ticket by staying there and we will tap them.”
Mansi Dalvi, a former corporator (between 2012-2017) from the prominent Worli constituency quit the Uddhav faction on February 7 and joined Shinde’s Shiv Sena. “I was not allowed to work the way I wished. We were being pulled down by those in positions of power,” she said. She added that she is happy to be known as a “true Shiv Sainik, regardless of which camp I am with”.
She reiterated that like her, many party workers who have spent over three decades with the Thackerays are feeling beleaguered and disgruntled. “No one leaves a party for frivolous reasons,” she said.
Interestingly, some of those still with the Uddhav camp have relatives on the other side. In Vile Parle alone, there are 300 people with Shinde whose family members are with Thackeray. A south Mumbai-based shakha pramukh with Shiv Sena (UBT) said, while the Shinde faction had reached out to him, he was in two minds about moving. “The public sympathy is with Uddhavji, but the Shiv Sena led by Shinde has more resources. Hence, winning from Shinde-led Shiv Sena will not be a problem,” he said.
Manisha Kayande, from Shiv Sena (UBT) averred that the Shinde group was “intimidating and luring” many of her colleagues.
Vishaka Raut, former leader of the house in BMC, from Thackeray’s faction ruled out that any member will be disloyal to the party. “We had a meeting on Sunday which was attended by many. If they (90 who attended) wanted to shift they would not have come,” said Raut.
One of the spokespersons from the Shinde camp said the party does not wish to have a body of disgruntled workers. “If Uddhav’s people join us, we will place them suitably so that they are not left unhappy here. Shinde meets his party workers and gives them a pat on their backs for every achievement, just as Balasaheb did. We also need to strengthen ourselves and have a prolonged strategy to take on Uddhav Thackeray in the civic polls.”