Plagued by desertions, Sena (UBT) chalks out plan to retain Konkan base

Raut in the meeting said that the Sena (UBT) enjoyed the same support in Rajapur and Konkan. “It is the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray that the people in Konkan stand by us,” he said. “We have found new faces after the recent defections

MUMBAI: Days after the desertion spree from its traditional stronghold Konkan, the Shiv Sena (UBT) held a meeting in Mumbai with its leaders from Rajapur. The party, threatened by local leaders shifting their loyalties to the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, is expected to chalk out a road map to retain its base in Konkan. Meanwhile, Sena (UBT) leaders in Marathwada too have started deserting the party.

Plagued by desertions, Sena (UBT) chalks out plan to retain Konkan base

After Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting of key leaders at Matoshree on Saturday, the party’s former MP Vinayak Raut was given the responsibility of finding new faces for Rajapur. Former MLA Rajan Salvi joined the Shinde Sena two days ago along with other local leaders. Salvi had alleged that Raut did not work for him, leading to his defeat in the assembly constituency.

Raut in the meeting said that the Sena (UBT) enjoyed the same support in Rajapur and Konkan. “It is the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray that the people in Konkan stand by us,” he said. “We have found new faces after the recent defections. The first public rally will be held in Sangameshwar soon and will be followed by rallies in other parts of Ratnagiri, including Chiplun and Lanja.”

Meanwhile, the Sena (UBT)’s lone Konkan MLA Bhaskar Jadhav was conspicuous by his absence at the meeting. His WhatsApp status too was a pointer to his disenchantment—a video of goats jumping into a river because of their trust in the shepherd, with a Marathi film song playing in the background. Jadhav, whose DP is a photograph of him with Bal Thackeray, commented in the WhatsApp status that leaders should be courageous and determined. Jadhav, who is the group leader of the party, which has 20 seats in the assembly, has also said that the party should bat on the legacy of its founder Bal Thackeray if it wants to bounce back.

The WhatsApp status came a day after Jadhav indirectly criticised Uddhav Thackeray for not giving him an appropriate opportunity in politics. Upset about not being picked by Thackeray for the post of leader of the opposition in the assembly, he reiterated his stand that the party leadership needed to treat his cadre gently when the party was navigating troubled waters.

However, on Monday, Jadhav partially retracted his statement. “When I said yesterday that I did not get what I deserved in politics, I did not name any leader or party,” he said. “I have been in politics for the last 43 years, and when I said this, I meant that none of the parties I have been in gave me what I deserved. It is okay if our party leader (Uddhav Thackeray) says that whoever wants to quit the party is free to do so, as he has given everything to leaders like Rajan Salvi. But I personally feel that it is not proper.”

Meanwhile, the Sena (UBT) is losing its leaders in Marathwada too. Suresh Bankar, who had joined the party to become its assembly candidate from Sillod constituency in Jalna, returned to the BJP on Saturday. “I am not upset with the Sena (UBT), but I am quitting it in the interest of Sillod’s constituents,” said Bankar, who lost to the Shiv Sena’s Abdul Sattar by just 2,420 votes.

Another Sena (UBT) assembly candidate from Aurangabad West, who joined the party ahead of the elections and unsuccessfully fought the polls against the Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Shirsat, is believed to be on the verge of going back to the BJP. Similarly, in Hingoli, Rupali Patil, who lost the assembly polls to the BJP’s Tanaji Mutkule, is unhappy in the party. “Be it Shinde, Rupali Patil or other local leaders, they have been sulking for the last few months. They are on the way to joining one of the ruling parties,” said a Sena (UBT) leader from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar.

In the recent assembly elections, the Sena (UBT) could win only three of the 46 seats in the eight districts of Marathwada, which is considered to be a party stronghold.