Uddhav Thackeray (File)
At a time the Shiv Sena is in a political slugfest with the BJP, the party is facing internal dissension too with MLA Tukaram Kate openly criticising Sena ministers for not being helpful to party MLAs. “In spite of being in the government, our work does not get done. I am at times afraid to even go into our ministers’ offices. You never know what they might say,” Kate, the Shiv Sena MLA from Anushakti Nagar said.
Kate had won the elections in 2014 defeating NCP’s Nawab Malik who has a substantial following in the area.
He said Sena ministers were not capable of doing the work of the people or their own MLAs.
“The behaviour of the MLAs of not doing any work is hurting the Sena. If work is not done then what is the point of being an MLA,” Kate said. Kate ruled out resigning from the party although he was angry.
The Shiv Sena, which has an uneasy alliance with the BJP, has publicly stated that it will fight all future elections in the state on its own.
However, there is a growing schism between party leaders, which has manifested in frequent public fights between the party leaders.
On Friday, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray was forced to hold a meeting to end a public feud between Parbhani MP Sanjay Jadhav and Parbhani MLA Rahul Patil. Both had a public feud over running of the party in the district.
On Friday, both promised before Thackeray to end their feud.
Last month, Haji Arafat Shaikh, one of the most prominent Muslim leaders in the Mumbai unit of the Shiv Sena, had publicly spoken out against Maharashtra Transport Minister and senior Shiv Sena leader, Diwakar Raote, and claimed that he had been abused by the leader. The Sena is presently trying to rally itself in tackling the BJP and gaining a wider footprint in the state.
Once a junior ally of the Sena, the BJP has left the Sena, which is increasingly being forced to play a second fiddle to the BJP in the state, far behind.
