Eknath Shinde, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, today shared more group photos flaunting his growing support in the Shiv Sena as he fights Uddhav Thackeray to gain control of the party.
The photos showed Mr Shinde with Shiv Sena members from civic bodies in Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali and Navi Mumbai. He wrote that former corporators - their term has ended as civic bodies have been dissolved and elections are due - and other party workers had supported his party of following the "pro-Hindu views" of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
"Most of the former corporators as well as Shiv Sena, Yuva Sena, Mahila Aghadi office bearers and Shiv Sainiks from Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali and Navi Mumbai met me and supported the pro-Hindu views of Hindu Hriday Samrat Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray and Dharmaveer Anand Dighe Saheb," the Chief Minister tweeted, using the hashtag #RealShivSena..
Yesterday, 66 of 67 Sena members in the Thane civic body came out in support of Eknath Shinde.
This means Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has lost control over the second most important civic body in Maharashtra, after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) just before elections.
Uddhav Thackeray had to quit as Chief Minister last month after most Sena MLAs backed Mr Shinde's rebellion.
Thane is the stronghold of Mr Shinde. Thane's civic body is the most important after Mumbai's Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
The civic bodies across Maharashtra were dissolved a while ago but elections have been delayed.
Uddhav Thackeray is fighting to retain control of the party founded by Balasaheb Thackeray, his father.
The Shinde faction has claimed Balasaheb's legacy and has been winning the support of more and more Shiv Sena members.
Team Shinde has declared in the assembly and in the Supreme Court that it is the real Sena, since it has the support of more than two-thirds of the party MLAs.
In gaining control of the party, grassroots level support from the cadre, local leaders and corporators is a big jump.
If the party officially splits, the final call on who gets the name and election symbol can only be taken by the Election Commission.
The Thackeray faction is fighting back, appointing a new Chief Whip for its 19 members in the Lok Sabha. The party also has three MPs in the Rajya Sabha. It has written to the Election Commission in a bid to block the handover of the name and election symbol.
Team Thackeray has also approached the Supreme Court against the Governor inviting Eknath Shinde to form government and the test of strength that saw the new Maharashtra Chief Minister breeze through a test of majority.
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