Mumbai: All is not well, it seems, between cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, who had come together “to stay together” ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls in the name of the ‘Marathi manoos’.
On Friday, a dispute between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) over nominating three corporators as co-opted members of the civic body spilled into the open, with both sides engaging in a war of words.
Following reports that Uddhav Thackeray was unwilling to concede one of the three co-opted member seats that will come the Sena (UBT)’s way based on its strength in the BMC to the MNS, Sandeep Deshpande, MNS’ Mumbai president posted a message on social media, saying “A narrow minded person can not co-opt you.”
Though Deshpande did not name anyone, he was likely referring to Uddhav Thackeray as “narrow-minded”, evoking strong reactions from the Sena (UBT) camp.
Co-opted members are nominated to the BMC by various parties based on their strength. Unlike elected corporators, they are not accountable to voters in a particular ward while enjoying all benefits as corporators.
In the BMC polls held last month, the Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance won 71 seats, finishing second behind the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance. The civic body is likely to have 10 co-opted corporators depending on the strength of parties, with the BJP getting four seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) three, the Eknath-Shinde-led Shiv Sena two, and Congress, one.
The MNS expects the Sena (UBT) to concede one of the three seats to them – MNS corporator Yashwant Killedar said the same publicly two days ago. A person close to the developments also said that Raj Thackeray had sent an emissary to meet a top Sena (UBT) leader some days back, but the emissary was told that Uddhav Thackeray was unwilling to speak his mind on the subject.
Sources in Shiv Sena (UBT) said the party chief was not happy with Raj Thackeray’s recent hobnobbing with Eknath Shinde, who split the Sena in 2022 and allied his faction with the BJP. A day after Raj met Shinde at his residence on Wednesday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut expressed his displeasure over the meeting.
A senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said on condition of anonymity that the Raj-Shinde meeting did not go well with Uddhav Thackeray.
“Our party chief was of the opinion that as both parties had joined hands against the BJP and Shinde recently, such meetings sent the wrong signal,” the leader said.
Amid these developments, reports emerged on Friday saying Uddhav had decided to select all three co-opted corporators from his own party, and he would soon declare the names of Sainath Durge, Madhuri Manjrekar and Kailas Pathak.
The MNS responded bitterly, with Mumbai president Sandeep Deshpande posting a cryptic comment on social media without naming Uddhav Thackeray.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Kishori Pednekar advised Deshpande to have patience. Raj Thackeray had never openly demanded a co-opted member seat and the Sena (UBT) had not officially declared the names of co-opted members yet. “Uddhav Thackeray will take final call on the matter. Till then Sandeep Deshpande should not react impatiently,” Pednekar said.
The senior Sena (UBT) leader quoted earlier said that though Uddhav Thackeray was of the view that there was no need to give one of the three co-opted member seats to the MNS, other leaders were of the view that both brothers had joined hands after a long time and their alliance should be strengthened by giving one one seat to the MNS.
“Uddhav Thackeray will consider all these views and take a final call in a day or two,” the leader said.