Shiv Sena workers take part in a protest against Eknath Shinde, in Kolhapur on Friday. (PTI)With over two-third of Shiv Sena MLAs having switched to rebel Eknath Shinde’s camp, the party and its youth wing Yuva Sena have started focusing on the cadre to keep the organisation intact. Sensing that the developments have shocked all party workers – from MPs to common workers – and can shatter the Sena if necessary steps are not taken in time, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has been holding marathon meetings with the cadre since Thursday, even after testing positive for Covid-19.
While a meeting of vibhag pramukhs of Mumbai was held on Thursday evening, Thackeray addressed all Sena district heads on Friday afternoon. Another meeting of MPs was held in the evening followed by meetings with corporators.
Yuva Sena, led by Aaditya Thackeray, plans to hold rallies by workers in every vibhag of Mumbai and the state and also use social media effectively to keep the cardre active. According to Yuva Sena functionaries, rallies will be organised at every ward.
On Sunday, while one such rally will be held at Kalina in Mumbai. Another rally will be held Birla Matoshri Griha at Marine Lines in south Mumbai, which will be attended by Aaditya.
“The workers are confused. The move has come as a shock for all. No one knows what is going to happen and hence, a decision has been taken to hold such rallies and work for strengthening and reviving the party structure,” a Yuva Sena functionary said.
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The leader added, “…While in Mumbai this will happen efficiently, districts like Thane, Raigad and Palghar can pose a problem as Shinde and other rebel MLAs have a stronghold over local corporators and party workers there…
Hence, a separate strategy is being planned for such districts.”
On Friday, during a meeting of the party’s district heads, Thackeray and Aaditya stressed upon reviving the party from the scratch. “It is time to show what loyalty is… only those who are loyalists will remain with me,” Thackeray said.
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