Fight over Sena control deepens crisis in Maha
MUMBAI/GUWAHATI: The national executive of the Shiv Sena on Saturday passed a resolution that no other political outfit can use its name or that of its founder, late Bal Thackeray, while a group of rebel legislators, led by dissident MLA Eknath Shinde, said it has named itself Shiv Sena (Balasaheb).
Reposing its faith in chief minister and party chief Uddhav Thackeray, the executive, which met for an emergency session in Mumbai, also passed a resolution authorising Uddhav to take necessary action against the “traitors”. The party, however, did not take any immediate action against Shinde.
Moving the proposal over the party’s name, Sena parliamentarian Arvind Sawant said: “Shiv Sena and Balasaheb are two sides of the same coin and cannot be separated. Therefore, nobody except the party (Sena) can use Shiv Sena and Balasaheb Thackeray.”
“No other political party or group can stake claim to these names,” said MP Anil Desai, adding that the party has written to the Election Commission of India on this issue.
The Shiv Sena national executive meeting is usually held every five years, with the next scheduled for 2023. But on Friday, party president Uddhav Thackeray called for an emergency meeting following Shinde’s revolt. The extent to which Shinde has damaged the party was evident from the depleted numbers that attended Saturday’s meeting. The last executive meet in 2018 was attended by 282 functionaries. On Saturday, there were only 245 people present.
The Shiv Sena also passed a resolution reaffirming its ideology as a son-of-the-soil (Marathi Manoos) party as well as its allegiance to Hindutva. “Shiv Sena will continue to uphold the ideals of Balasaheb Thackeray and the party has not diluted or compromised with Hindutva in any way,” said party spokesperson Sanjay Raut after the meeting.
Thackeray, who tested Covidpositive last week, had planned to participate in the meeting virtually, but ended up attending it. Unlike Friday’s addresses, Thackeray struck a far more aggressive note speaking to his party’s core leadership team. “The leaders who have left the Shiv Sena are now on their own and should not seek votes either in the name of the Shiv Sena or Balasaheb Thackeray,” Raut said, quoting the CM.
Calling the crisis in the party a battle between “truth and lie”, Shiv Sena leader and state minister Aaditya Thackeray said: “We will win and the truth will prevail.”