Uddhav asks loyalists to sign pledge of allegiance to party

To strengthen the party’s case before the Election Commission of India (ECI) and stave off the challenge from the dissident camp, which has sought to represent the “real” Sena

Mumbai Shiv Sena president and former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that Eknath Shinde was trying to create a Sena without the Thackerays.

Shiv Sena president and former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that Eknath Shinde was trying to create a Sena without the Thackerays (PTI)

To strengthen the party’s case before the Election Commission of India (ECI) and stave off the challenge from the dissident camp, which has sought to represent the “real” Sena and claim the party’s symbol, Uddhav has asked his loyalists to sign a pledge of allegiance to the party and launch a membership drive.

“They want to finish the Shiv Sena and in doing so, they want to snap the strong relationship between the party and the Thackerays,” charged Uddhav, while speaking on Sunday at a party function at Kalachowkie in central Mumbai. He also derided Shinde and his men as “rebels and traitors.”

“If they are so brave, then why do they use the photograph of my father, the Shiv Sena supremo (Bal Thackeray)? Let them seek votes in their own names,” Uddhav dared Shinde and his men while asking them to move around in the state with their own parents for public meetings. “They want to steal the party and while doing so, they also want to steal my father (from me). You are not mards (men), but dacoits,” he lashed out while referring to the attempts of the dissidents to claim the mantle of the late Sena supremo, who enjoys a talismanic appeal over the party faithful.

Referring to the Shinde camp’s petition before the ECI, wherein it has tried to stake claim over the Shiv Sena and its bow-and-arrow symbol, Uddhav asked his loyalists to sign pledges of loyalty and allegiance to the party and launch a membership registration drive. Uddhav, whose birthday falls is on July 27, said that his party men should give this to him as a birthday gift. He claimed that the dissidents had roped in “professional agencies” for the purpose while using the resources at their disposal for it.

Last Monday, Shinde dissolved the 282-member national executive of the party and reconstituted it with his chosen set of leaders. Former ministers Anandrao Adsul and Ramdas Kadam were appointed as the party’s leaders, while legislators Tanaji Sawant, Gulabrao Patil, Uday Samant, former MP Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, Yashwant Jadhav, ex-bureaucrat Vijay Nahata and actor Sharad Ponkshe were appointed as deputy leaders. Sawantwadi MLA Deepak Kesarkar was made the chief spokesperson. Shinde has anointed himself as the ‘mukhya neta’ or chief leader of the party, while Uddhav was retained as the party president.

The ECI has asked the two factions to submit documents by August 8 to substantiate and support their claims over the election symbol.