Be prepared for mid-term poll: Uddhav Thackeray to workers

MUMBAI: In what has stirred the already turbulent political waters in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) president and former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has predicted that the state may face a mid-term poll as a result of the possible collapse of the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis regime. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena, on their part, dismissed the statement as Thackeray’s tactic to keep his ‘remaining’ flock united.

On Saturday, Thackeray held a meeting of Shiv Sena leaders and the 200-odd samparka

Uddhav Thackeray

pramukhs of the party who serve as a link between the high command and district-level functionaries. The samparka pramukhs have been asked to start preparations for the polls, which Thackeray expects to be held earlier than scheduled.

A senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, who was present at the meeting, said that party leaders had been asked to enroll primary members and also encourage the registration of first-time voters. “We have been asked to identify prospective electoral candidates, including those from other parties, Shiv Sena leaders who have left us in the past and those with the potential to win,” he revealed.

The leader added they were expecting the government to collapse due to a number of reasons, a vital one being the SC hearings that are due to begin on November 29. A five-judge bench of the is scheduled to hear multiple petitions filed by both factions of the original Shiv Sena, which include a plea to disqualify Shinde and the 15 MLAs who jumped ship.

The public exchange of vitriol between two Shinde supporters – independent MLA Omprakash (Bacchu) Kadu and another independent legislator Ravi Rana, who is known to be close to Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis.