Thackeray, Shinde factions face off at party office in BMC over real Shiv Sena

The rival Shiv Sena factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde came face to face at the party’s office at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters in south Mumbai on Wednesday evening.

The face-off took place after North Central Mumbai MP Rahul Shewale, former standing committee chairman Yashwant Jadhav and former corporator Sheetal Mhatre, all belonging to the Shinde-led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena, entered the party office around 5 pm.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction’s former corporators including Ashish Chemburkar and Sachin Padwal objected to their presence, leading to heated exchanges, sources said. Tension prevailed for nearly an hour with workers from both sides shouting slogans before the police stepped in and removed everyone from the office.

When we visited the office, we found a sticker covering the name of Yashvant Jadhav on the name plate. Because of his efforts, this office was set up. So we removed the sticker and garlanded the bust of Shiva Maharaj which is inside, he said.

They (Thackeray faction) should realize that they have already lost their majority everywhere. They should accept that they have given up the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray and Hindutva and they are in minority, he added.