Amid the buzz of Thackeray cousins’ potential reunion, both parties, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), once again got together, this time to corner Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde in his fortress, Thane city in Maharashtra.
Both parties, along with Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), also joined the “Dhad Morcha (roar rally)“ in Thane to stage a protest against alleged corruption and mismanagement in the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC).
Before the split, the undivided Shiv Sena had a great influence in Thane city and the TMC. During that time, as well, Thane has been the home turf for Mr. Shinde; before him, it was his mentor, Anand Dighe. With the rally, the MNS and the Shiv Sena (UBT) established their dominance, and their leaders called out Shiv Sena ministers over the corruption allegations.
“Was this the ideology of Bal Thackeray and Anand Dighe?” asked Bhaskar Jadhav, Shiv Sena (UBT) group leader in the Assembly, slamming Shiv Sena ministers, including Sanjay Shirsat, over the “money bag controversy”.
“TMC is plagued by mismanagement and corruption. TMC is unable to pay the salaries of the employees and run the system. If the Mumbai civic body stayed with them, it would be destroyed. Mahayuti’s eye is on the deposit of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation [BMC],” said Mr. Jadhav during the protest in Thane.
