"Original Sena": Team Uddhav Leader Joins Eknath Shinde-Led Faction

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Manisha Kayande on Sunday joined the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde alleging that Uddhav Thackeray is inaccessible for receiving feedback on the party affairs.

She also claimed money is sought from women in the Thackeray faction.

Manisha Kayande's cross-over comes on the eve of the foundation day of Shiv Sena and it is a second jolt to the Thackeray-led faction in two days. A day earlier, senior leader Shishir Shinde resigned from the party.

Speaking at a function after joining Shiv Sena in neighbouring Thane, Ms Kayande claimed she waited for a year to see if the Thackeray-led faction would introspect over why party workers were leaving Shiv Sena (UBT).

Ms Kayande was made secretary of Shiv Sena and also its spokesperson.

"The Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde is the original Sena which belongs to Balasaheb Thackeray," she said.

Ms Kayande said the Shinde government has been working efficiently since it came to power last June.

She hit out at Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and party leader Sushma Andhare without naming them for propagating the agenda of NCP and Congress.

"People who talk every morning criticising others, push the agenda of Congress and NCP and speak against Hindu gods and goddesses cannot be the face of Shiv Sena," she said.

Hours before Ms Kayande joined Shiv Sena, the Thackeray-led faction removed her as the spokesperson for "anti-party" activities. She is, however, not expelled from her parent party.

Ms Kayande said she was not involved in any anti-party activity.

"What is the use when you cannot reach out to the leadership with your feedback and tell them that money is sought from women in the party," she claimed.

Ms Kayande said those who leave Shiv Sena (UBT) are labelled as trash, but they should know that energy can be generated from the garbage.

Ms Kayande, who joined Shiv Sena (Undivided) in 2012, also claimed that no one in the party was in favour of allying with Congress and NCP (after the 2019 elections).

She is a member of the state Legislative Council and her term expires on July 27, 2024. She is an MLC from the Legislative Assembly quota.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Shinde took potshots at Thackeray, who he said was patting his own back over COVID management.

"It was me who was on the field ensuring that people get treatment and medicines and arranging for the funeral of the deceased,'' he claimed.

Referring to the formation of Maha Vikas Aghadi after the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, Shinde said Thackeray compromised his ideology for power.

"He needs to change his scriptwriter now,'' Chief Minister Shinde said.

The chief minister said the Shiv Sena-BJP government is making genuine efforts for the welfare of people and expediting projects which were stopped by the previous MVA government.

Earlier in the day, after it became clear that Ms Kayande was on her way out, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders hit out at her, saying despite getting everything in the organisation she has chosen to leave it.

"She joined us after leaving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), got everything, and now since she is unlikely to be re-nominated to the Legislative Council, she has chosen to leave,'' Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Vinayak Raut claimed while talking to reporters.

The Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray factions, which claim themselves to be the true inheritor of Bal Thackeray, will celebrate the foundation day of the Shiv Sena by organising events at separate venues in Mumbai. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)