Uddhav Thackeray loyalists miffed about ‘special treatment’ to outsiders

FOllowing the defection of MLC Sachin Ahir on tues to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the simmering unrest among the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s older ward has amount to the forward. A day after party MLC Sunil Shinde expressed need for introspection on why the defections were happening, MP Sanjay Raut said loyal workers were concerned about the “special treatment” given to certain leaders, including outsiders like Ahir, while they were taken for granted.Disgruntled Sena (UBT) workers had been pointing out that Ahir, who joined the undivided Sena only seven years ago, was given several plum posts in the party. Although he won from the Sena’s traditional stronghold, Worli, only once in 2009, he practically dominated the party’s activities there. This had irked local leaders, including Sunil Shinde and former mayor Kishori Pedenekar.After Ahir quit the party, Sunil Shinde reminded the leadership that it had preferred Ahir over him and other local leaders while handling Worli affairs. “I defeated him in Worli by over 23,000 votes,” he said. “Worli is a bastion of the Shiv Sena and Thackeray family for decades, and Aaditya Thackeray did not win because of Ahir but because of party loyalists and the reputation of the Thackeray family. I was watching what was happening but did not speak about it as I am too insignificant. But our seniors in the party really need to introspect now.”This particular sentiment is being voiced by hardcore Thackeray sainiks who stayed with the party when Eknath Shinde split it in 2022 and walked away with the majority of MLAs. On Wednesday, Sanjay Raut too backed the need for introspection about the way the party was functioning. “We need to think about this for the sake of our political future,” he said. “Some people got everything but all of them left the party. We need to identify and understand the true character of a person.”Raut pointed out that even Eknath Shinde’s political rise was made possible by the opportunities and authority he got in the Sena. “If Uddhav Thackeray had not given him everything, from posts to power, where would he be?” he asked rhetorically. “He became what he is today because he received all those things from the leadership.”Former mayor Kishori Pednekar, a member of the undivided Shiv Sena for four decades, opined that loyalists should not be ignored. “The party made Manisha Kayande, who was an outsider, an MLC,” she said. “What was her contribution and how did the party benefit from this? They ignored the claim of loyalist Meena Kambli and chose Kayande over her. Kambli recently joined Eknath Shinde. Sunil Shinde is an old party worker and loyalist. If he is saying something, the party leadership should think over it seriously.”South Mumbai MP Arvind Sawant, while pointing out that the party needed to respond to the sentiments of party workers across Maharashtra, added, “Why only the leadership? Each one of us should introspect. Are we doing what the party expects us to do? Is our behaviour in the interests of the party?”Aaditya Thackeray did not respond to calls and messages.