After assembly polls debacle, desertions rock Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT)

Barely three months after the Maharashtra assembly polls the Uddhav Thackerayled Shiv Sena UBT has been jolted by a series of desertions with several party functionaries and even former MLAs abandoning the party reported news agency PTIThe latest big name to quit the party was Rajan Salvi a threetime MLA from the Rajapur assembly seat in Ratnagiri district in the coastal Konkan region reported PTIA staunch supporter of the Thackerays Salvi joined the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde with his supporters earlier this month Days later another former MLA from Konkan joined Shindes party along with many Sena UBT officebearers reported PTILast week Rajul Patel a former corporator women wing leader of Sena UBT and a staunch Thackeray loyalist jumped shipFor the Thackerays the loss of leaders like Patel and Salvi is beyond an organisational setback as they enjoyed a degree of confidence in the first family according to political analystsAddressing party workers recently Thackeray referred to the defections and called himself a man who has suffered betrayals In a selfdeprecating manner he likened his situation to that of the Japanese saying they are more surprised when there are no tremors He also said his own men are being used to target him reported PTIIn 2022 Thackeray then the head of the Bal Thackerayfounded Shiv Sena suffered the biggest blow of his political career when Shinde rebelled against him and 39 MLAs and 13 MPs joined the revoltShinde who aligned with the BJP to become the chief minister subsequently got the partys name and its bow and arrow symbol The faction headed by Thackeray became Shiv Sena UBT a partner in the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA reported PTIWith Shindes clout growing as the CM a few corporators from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC also joined him but the Sena UBT cadre remained largely with ThackerayHowever since his partys defeat in the 2024 assembly polls the cadre is now migrating to the Shindeled Sena Of the 288 assembly seats in the state the Sena UBT contested 97 but won only 20 By contrast Shindes party a constituent of the BJPled Mahayuti grabbed 57 of the 87 seats it contested reported PTIAmid desertions from the Sena UBT an upbeat Shinde recently urged his party leaders to give another shock to Thackerays party in the civic elections The schedule for the polls including the allimportant Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is yet to be announced reported PTIThe Sena UBT leaders claim their men are being coerced to switch sides with the help of money and pressure from central and state agencies Presenting a united front eight Sena UBT MPs earlier this month said they were firmly with Thackerays partyHowever a few party leaders also point to internal factors behind the largescale defections from the Sena UBTLast week Bhaskar Jadhav the partys lone MLA from Konkan rued that he did not get his due despite his experience and gift of the gab This prompted Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut to clarify that Jadhavs grievances would be addressed reported PTIA Sena UBT MLA said the party leadership needs to be more accessible to establish better communication with the cadreThe biggest asset of Shinde is his accessibility On the contrary it is very difficult to reach Uddhav ji said a Sena UBT MLA who spoke on the condition of anonymity reported PTIAccessibility is an issue and the party leadership needs to address it The more they listen to grievances of party workers and leaders the more firsthand information they will receive which is now being conveyed through their aides the legislator said reported PTIThe MLA also said those abandoning the party know they will not get anything significant for the next five yearsAnother lawmaker from Thackerays party said attempts are being made by his party leaders to stop workers from quitting But such efforts yield little results when financial aspects are involved he said reported PTIThe Shindeled Sena has also undertaken a mission what some call Operation Tiger to bring in more Sena UBT leaders and workersMaking more Sena UBT workers join the party will further validate its position as the real Shiv Sena and weaken the rival camp reported PTIThe question is not about loyalty anymore but benefits said political analyst Prakash AkolkarThackeray has nothing to offer for the next five years Those seeking shortterm benefits are joining the Shindeled Sena and the ones looking at longterm benefits are joining the BJP claimed Akolkar who has written a book on the history of the undivided Shiv Sena reported PTIWith inputs from PTI