Uddhav plans massive membership drive, pledge of loyalty to fight off Shinde’s ‘real’ Shiv Sena claim

The fight between the two factions of Shiv Sena is getting bitter

The fight between the two factions of Shiv Sena is getting bitter. To counter the Eknath Shinde camp’s claim of being the “real” Sena, the party has decided to enrol over 40 lakh primary members in a month’s time. It has also planned to take written undertakings from all office-bearers down to the gatapramukhs, pledging their allegiance to the party and its president Uddhav Thackeray.

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo

These measures, party leaders said, are also aimed at strengthening the party’s position before the Supreme Court and the Election Commission of India (ECI) that despite the rebellion, the cadre was with Thackeray.

The Shinde faction has initiated proceedings under the Election Symbols (Reservations and Allotment) Order, 1968, seeking recognition from the ECI as the ‘real’ Sena, and also claiming the right to use the party’s ‘bow-and-arrow’ symbol.

On Monday, the Thackeray-led Sena moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the proceedings before the ECI, which had asked the two camps to submit documents by August 8 to substantiate their claims over the election symbol.

Sena undertakes its primary membership enrolment drive once in two years. However, this year’s campaign, which began on June 19, marking the party’s foundation day in 1966, was marred by the revolt that began the very next day. Shinde walked out with 39 MLAs and eventually toppled the three-party Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government.

“Normally, the membership drive begins on June 19 and ends on December 31. But considering the situation, we have asked the party cadre to complete the membership enrollment in a month,” a senior Sena leader, requesting anonymity, said.

“We had registered 40 lakh members two years ago, but this time, we want to surpass that tally… we will submit this to the ECI to show that the cadre is with us,” he said.

Similarly, Sena’s functionaries - from leaders to deputy leaders, vibhag pramukhs in Mumbai, district chiefs and even the shakha pramukhs, upashakha pramukhs, and gatapramukhs, who are among the basic units of the party’s organisation - will be asked to sign an undertaking. “This undertaking states that they will abide by the constitution of Sena, affirm Thackeray as their leader, and pledge to remain loyal to the party and its credo,” the Sena leader said.

On Sunday, Thackeray lashed out at Shinde and his rebels for using the image of his father, late Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, to solicit votes, and called on party workers to speed up the member enrolment drive and submission of undertakings. The former CM is also expected to begin a tour of the state on July 30, beginning with Nashik, and then proceeding to Aurangabad (Sambhajinagar) and Pune for public meetings.

On July 18, Shinde had 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 Thackeray has been retained as the party president.

Defection in Marathwada

In yet another jolt to Sena in Marathwada, former minister Arjun Khotkar, who has a base in Jalna district, joined the Shinde camp. Khotkar met Shinde in New Delhi on Monday. Ironically, Khotkar had earlier spoken about staying loyal to Sena all his life.