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‘Sena roots run deep, lack of funds not a deterrent,’ say sainiks loyal to the Thackeray name

EC's decision to allot Sena name & symbol to Shinde camp has not shaken shakha pramukhs to switch sides but they allege that sainiks are being offered posts by rival Shinde group. 

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Mumbai: Seventy-nine-year-old Vaman Chavan, who joined the Shiv Sena in 1966, the year it came into being, is a disgruntled man. The recent decision by the Election Commission (EC) to allot the party name and poll symbol to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction has angered many sainiks like Chavan, turning shakhas of both sides into hotbeds of activity, both trying to consolidate their position. 

For an old-timer like Chavan, who started with shakha number 72 in Bhoiwada, it is the Uddav Thackeray faction that’s the real Sena. “Shiv Sena’s roots run deep. They can’t be shaken from the surface. Even though they took the name and symbol, Uddhav Thackeray will be recognised as the real Sena because the Marathi population has an emotional connect with the family,” he said.

“Today, half of all those claiming to be the real Sena were not even born when the party was born…(but) we will continue to help Shiv Sena (UBT) grow,” he added.

Shakhas or local offices are found in every ward of Mumbai and are fortress-like structures that play an important role in the party’s day-to-day functioning. They are the backbone of the party.

Though most of these shakha workers have not moved on to the Shinde camp, they are struggling to keep the activities going, primarily for want of funds.

A young worker in one of the shakhas of Sion, who did not wish to be named, told ThePrint, “Young people are still with Uddhav Thackeray but we do not have enough money whereas they (Shinde faction) are trying to attract people by offering various posts.”

Santosh Telwane, a pramukh of Shinde’s Sena from Prabhadevi’s shakha number 194, counters him, saying they have no posts to offer. “Many people are approaching us from the backdoor, but we have no vacant posts to offer. Workers are joining us but we can’t take in functionaries. So we are going ahead with what we have,” he said.  

While senior Sena (UBT) leaders acknowledge that fund flow was a problem, they are confident of winning big in the coming BMC elections even as the Shinde group said they could always make space for more people.


Also read: ‘Deshdrohi, chor mandal’: Breach of privilege notices against Maharashtra CM Shinde, Sanjay Raut


What’s in a name

Ulhas Panchal sits at shakha number 200 in Hindmata near Dadar. Here, he addresses the issues of people in his area and assures them of redress. He says he’s a Shiv Sainik since 1975.

“For us, hardcore sainiks, Thackeray is our sign, symbol, name, everything. Our Shiv Sena is wherever the Thackeray name is. Let them take away everything else, but we are with Thackeray,” he said.

For the old-timers ThePrint spoke to, it is the grass root sainik who has toiled to spread the message of the party across the city. “Instead of worrying about the name and party symbol being taken away, it is time for us to speak up through our work,” said Chavan.

Likewise, Rajendra Chandorkar works at shakha 173 in Prateeksha Nagar and has helped sainiks in Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport Undertaking (BEST) over the years with multiple issues, such as salaries, benefits, and pension.

“People of Maharashtra are seeing all this. Shiv Sainiks are watching this. In fact, the more they try to keep us down, the stronger we emerge. True sainiks will be with Thackerays only,” he said.

Sainiks in Thackeray’s support are confident that with the shakha strength, they will be able to win the coming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, scheduled to be held sometime this year.

“We will definitely win the elections. What happened with Uddhavji is not right. Nothing will happen. And Aaditya Thackeray has also built a young Sena and nobody can take us away,” said Ramdas Parkar, who claims his family has known the Thackerays from before the party’s inception.

Lack of funds

Sentiments aside, lack of funds worries shakha pramukhs. Most of the shakha pramukhs that ThePrint spoke to said though they would not join the other camp, they do not have enough funds to work. 

This could be one of the reasons workers from the Shinde side are approaching those on the Thackeray side, and some are switching over. Take the case of shakha number 170 in Chunabhatti area. According to its pramukh, Baburao More, many people were approached, including himself. But apart from his upshakha pramukh, nobody switched sides. 

More, who has been with the Sena for the past 30 years, said, “Those who are going are doing so for the money. We are sticking with Uddhavji. But it is true that the work is getting hampered for want of funds. We have not stopped activities like blood donation camps etc, but we could breathe easier with more funds.” 

As for why most of them won’t move, he said, “We have been working for many years. What have they done for us? We did not work for any post…I am confident nobody else will go.” 

But a functionary from the Dadar branch of Shinde’s Shiv Sena does not completely agree. Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said, “We don’t need to bring anyone forcefully. If a sainik doesn’t have any funds, what will he do? We, our MLA, have funds and hence, we are able to work for the people.” 

Shinde camp’s Telwane says that with MLA Sada Sarvankar by their side, shakha workers are able to work for people in the area. “People want to join us because of the funds. Those who are opposing us today have always done so. Only those who didn’t get along with Sarvankar have not joined us. The rest want to be with us,” he said.

Acknowledging that fund flow was an issue at the moment, Anand Dubey, spokesperson of Shiv Sena (UBT), added, “Those who are with us are because of Thackeray. They have worked with us for a long time. Shinde and the BJP have more money but that has not stopped us. We are telling our workers the same…we are confident we will win the BMC elections too.”

Sada Sarvankar, MLA of Shiv Sena (Shinde camp), told ThePrint that there is scope to accommodate more people. “Our shakhas have people queuing up with their grievances. Since we have the funds, people are confident their work will get done. We are expanding and more people are joining us and we will accommodate them.”

(Edited by Smriti Sinha)


Also read: Can Shinde Sena issue whip to Thackeray faction? ‘Legally incomprehensible, can’t wish MLAs away’


 

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