Another blow to UBT as Sawant joins Shinde

Sawant also thanked Thackeray for giving him ministership. He said, “I wanted to use my skills and got a chance and hence I have decided to work with Shiv Sena. I don’t want ministership. I only want to work but I don’t know why no work was assigned to me by Uddhavji. I want to take Sena to its grassroots

Mumbai:In the second setback to Shiv Sena (UBT) in a week, former Maharashtra health minister Dr Deepak Sawant, once a close aide of party chief Uddhav Thackeray, joined chief minister Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena on Wednesday. On Monday, Bhushan Desai, son of former industries minister Subhash Desai had joined Shiv Sena.

Welcoming him into his party at Balsaheb Bhavan, Shiv Sena’s headquarters in south Mumbai, Shinde showered praise on Sawant and said that he, like him, is influenced by Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray. “Sawant had started the concept of telemedicine and also brought out the lacunae in the system. I welcome him to Shiv Sena and I am impressed by his work,” Shinde said. (HT Photo)

Welcoming him into his party at Balsaheb Bhavan, Shiv Sena’s headquarters in south Mumbai, Shinde showered praise on Sawant and said that he, like him, is influenced by Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.

“Sawant had started the concept of telemedicine and also brought out the lacunae in the system. I welcome him to Shiv Sena and I am impressed by his work,” Shinde said. He said Sawant was compulsorily retired by the Uddhav Thackeray faction.

Sawant was a three-term legislator and health minister in Devendra Fadnavis-led government but had to quit as his term as a member of the legislative council ended in 2018. Ironically, his portfolio was later given to Shinde.

Sawant recently met with an accident. He was not active in the Shiv Sena (UBT) for quite some time. Earlier on Monday, Bhushan Desai, son of former industries minister Subhash Desai had joined Shiv Sena.

Sawant also thanked Thackeray for giving him ministership. He said, “I wanted to use my skills and got a chance and hence I have decided to work with Shiv Sena. I don’t want ministership. I only want to work but I don’t know why no work was assigned to me by Uddhavji. I want to take Sena to its grassroots.”

He requested Shinde to start the Bal Thackeray Accident Insurance Scheme which was conceptualised by him earlier.

Meanwhile, Manisha Kayande, spokesperson of the Shiv Sena (UBT) said, “Sawant was given a prominent ministry and was made MLC thrice. It’s his choice to join them.”