THANE: At a time when senior state level leadership of the Shiv Sena was busy in the Sachin Vaze- Mansukh Hiran case, a handful of activists and leaders from Thane led by Eknath Shinde successfully managed to secretly script and execute the party victory in the Jalgaon mayoral polls, sitting here, it is learnt.
Analysts said the victory has helped elevate the image of Shinde in front of his state leadership. “The way the team Shinde in Thane handled the situation even as its state leadership was busy handling the situation in the Hiran case is likely to be noticed and bring him more closer to his boss,” said an observer.
Senior leaders from Thane said after the unease among BJP corporators in Jalgaon was spotted and the netas attracted to support the Sena, its state leadership along with party colleague from Jalgaon, Gulabrao Patil, sought assistance from Shinde who activated his team here who ensured the group was away from public eye and especially BJP units looking for them.
While most of them had their phones switched off, few were connecting with their loyalist on social media but didn't disclose their locations.
“The group of corporators was brought in secretly together and housed in a Ghodbunder hotel for the last five days. We were keeping hawk eye vigil to ensure no outsider was allowed to meet these netas till the polls were finished Thursday morning. The entire exercise was known and executed by a handful of trusted lieutenants from Thane and Mumbai,” said Mayor Naresh Mhaske.
Corporator Siddharth Owalekar who stayed at the hotel with the Jalgaon corporators said they were impressed by the development of Thane and had assured the Sena leadership of helping gain a majority for the party in the coming polls.