Another jolt to Uddhav; Sena (UBT) MLC Manisha Kayande joins Shinde camp

Manisha Kayande, one of Shiv Sena's most combative MLCs, has quit the party to join Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction, citing unhappiness with Uddhav Thackeray's leadership. There are speculations that other women leaders and former corporators could also follow. However, Sena (UBT) leaders said that pure personal agenda was behind the women's move. Kayande has been appointed as the first woman party secretary of the Shiv Sena. This comes after deputy leader Shishir Shinde left the party on Saturday night, expressing displeasure that he had not been assigned any responsibility in his four years in the Sena (UBT).

Mumbai : In yet another jolt to Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, one of his most combative MLCs, Manisha Kayande, on Sunday quit the party to join Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction. The fact that Kayande, like the party’s deputy leader Shishir Shinde, chose to do this on the eve of the Sena’s 57th Foundation Day celebrations on June 19 has worsened the blow.

While Kayande joined the Shiv Sena on Sunday night in the presence of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at Thane, there are speculations that other Sena (UBT) women leaders and former corporators could also go the same way in the coming days. But while this points to the women’s unhappiness with Thackeray’s leadership as the most likely cause, Sena (UBT) leaders said that pure personal agenda was behind the women’s move. (Praful Gangurde / HT Photo)

While Kayande joined the Shiv Sena on Sunday night in the presence of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at Thane, there are speculations that other Sena (UBT) women leaders and former corporators could also go the same way in the coming days. But while this points to the women’s unhappiness with Thackeray’s leadership as the most likely cause, Sena (UBT) leaders said that pure personal agenda was behind the women’s move.

“The Shiv Sena (UBT) gave me an opportunity to work as its spokesperson and later as an MLC,” Kayande told Hindustan Times. “But when most of its leaders and MLAs, including Eknath Shinde, left last year, the party leadership did not introspect on what was wrong and why people were leaving. I waited for a full year but there is still no change in the party functioning. The leadership (Thackeray) is unwilling to listen to what common party workers are saying. Therefore, I decided to join CM Shinde, who is a dynamic leader.” Shinde while welcoming Kayande, announced her appointment as the first woman party secretary of the Shiv Sena.

Thackeray had made Kayande, originally a BJP worker, spokesperson and MLC by sidelining other senior women leaders. Despite this, whispers in party circles indicated that she and some other women leaders were unhappy with Thackeray’s decision to promote Sushma Andhare, another firebrand leader of the Sena (UBT).

“Many senior women leaders in the party were, of course, not happy with the way Andhare was getting so much importance,” said a Sena (UBT) leader. “Some women leaders, including those holding important posts in the legislature, expressed their displeasure about Andhare’s elevation in private discussions. In politics, such jealousy is natural. But that cannot be the reason for switching loyalties. A personal agenda to grab something is the reason behind such decisions.”

Thackeray faction MP Sanjay Raut downplayed Kayande’s decision to leave the party and join the Shinde group. “These are flying birds,” he said dismissively. “She was an outsider in the party. She came from the BJP and joined the party a few years ago for political gain. Such people create problems for the party. Henceforth every person will be scrutinised before being allowed in.”

Former BMC mayor Kishori Pednekar termed Manisha Kayande a “moving trophy”. “She came from another party for political gain,” she said. “Now she is again joining a new party for further gain. Her tenure as MLC is ending next year, so it’s clear that Kayande is going to the Shinde group with some personal agenda.”

Pednekar added that the party had made Kayande an MLC in 2018 by sidelining many senior women leaders. “Nobody complained at that point,” she said. “So now Kayande cannot claim that any injustice was done to her by the party.”

Asked about other women leaders and former corporators reportedly set to join Shinde, Pednekar reiterated her stance. “Every person who leaves the party claims that s/he was unhappy with the policies or working style or leadership or talks about injustice done to him or her,” she stated. “But the truth is that everyone switches loyalties for a personal or political agenda and that is to gain something or the other.”

There have been rumours that Pednekar herself might join the Shinde group. When asked about this, however, the veteran leader denied it. “I am now over 60 years old and have nothing to gain,” she said. “I am just following Bal Thackeray’s public request in his last speech at Shivaji Park to support Uddhav and Aaditya. I will not leave the party.”

Kayande’s exit is only the latest shock to party chief Thackeray. On Saturday night deputy leader Shishir Shinde left the party, expressing displeasure that he had not been assigned any responsibility in his four years in the Sena (UBT). Shinde, best known for digging up the Wankhede cricket pitch to stop an India-Pakistan match the 1990s, has not declared his next move but indicated that he had good relations with the late Anand Dighe, a mentor of CM Shinde, and with Shinde himself.