Mumbai, Jul 19 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve has said it still rankles that a “strong” organisation like the Bal Thackeray-founded Shiv Sena split, and that its two factions should be together.
“The split in the organisation still rankles. Someone cast their evil eye on our organisation (Shiv Sena).
“We are not born for power. It (power) comes and goes. This pain should heal someday. Our organisation was strong and united. Everyone should be together. Our party should be in power. I feel this as a Shiv Sainik,” he said in an interview with a Marathi news channel.
There is no issue in hoping for unity, added Danve, the leader of opposition in the legislative council.
The undivided Shiv Sena split in 2022 when senior leader Eknath Shinde, the current deputy chief minister, led a revolt and took away 39 MLAs with him. He then sided with the BJP and became a part of the Mahayuti alliance.
Shinde’s rebellion not only toppled the then Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government but also split the party.
The Election Commission later allotted the original party name and its bow-and-arrow symbol to the Eknath Shinde-led faction. The group headed by Thackeray subsequently became Shiv Sena (UBT).
Sena (UBT) is a part of the opposition MVA, also comprising the Congress and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP). Besides the BJP and Shiv Sena, the ruling Mahayuti has also NCP, headed by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, as a partner. PTI PR NR
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