Mumbai: With the Bombay high court directing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to accept the resignation of its employee Rutuja Latke, the stage is set for the first electoral showdown between the two factions of the Shiv Sena. Latke, who is the Thackeray-led Sena’s candidate in the forthcoming Andheri East by-elections, was unable to file her nomination papers for the election till the BMC released her from service – which it finally did on the orders of the court.
Minutes after the HC cleared the decks, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) announced the candidature of Rutuja, widow of deceased party MLA Ramesh Latke, for the by-poll scheduled to be held on November 3. Late on Thursday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finalised Murji Patel as its candidate supported by its ally Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena led by chief minister Eknath Shinde. The official announcement is expected to be made after a formal nod by party’s central leadership in Delhi. Patel will file his nomination form on Friday.
The Andheri East by-poll will be a litmus test for both factions of Shiv Sena after the vertical split in the party in June this year. The election, necessitated by the death of Ramesh Latke in May this year, will be an indication of the mood of voters in Mumbai following the split. It could also set the tone for the civic polls, which are crucial for the Thackeray-led faction.
The Thackeray faction’s decision to field Rutuja Latke had run into trouble after the BMC administration did not accept her resignation (government or semi-government employees have to quit service before contesting an election). In response to the petition filed by Latke challenging the delay by BMC in taking a decision, the high court on Thursday directed the civic body to clear her resignation before 11 am on Friday.
Rutuja, a clerk with the BMC, amid reports that the Shinde faction was trying to lure her, said she had already clarified that she would contest from the Shiv Sena (UBT). “I have my voters and party with me and hence will not face any difficulty in the absence of the old party symbol, the bow and arrow. I will contest on the mashaal symbol and will file my nomination on Friday after getting the BMC’s letter approving my resignation.”
Senior Thackeray faction leader Anil Parab rued the fact that “efforts were made till the last minute to prevent Rujuta from contesting the election”. “It is sad that we had to approach the high court to get the resignation cleared, which should have happened as a matter of course per the law,” he said.
Parab revealed that a complaint was made against Rujuta for alleged corruption on October 12 after she had resigned on October 3, and this was cited as a reason by the BMC for not accepting her resignation. “It shows the level to which politics in Maharashtra has sunk,” he added.
Rutuja Latke later met Thackeray at his Bandra residence. Parab, who accompanied her during the meeting, said that key leaders from the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition will be present at the time of her filing the nomination.
The Nationalist Congress Party and Congress, the other two constituents of the MVA, have already extended support to Uddhav Thackeray’s party for the by-poll. Congress leaders Nana Patole, Bhai Jagtap and Amit Deshmukh called on Thackeray at his residence early this week and extended support. Thackeray also spoke to Congress president Sonia Gandhi to thank her for the support. The Communist Party of India too has extended its support.
The Shinde faction was exploring the possibility of Rutuja Latke joining it, admitted a minister from the camp. “Ramesh Latke shared cordial relations with Shinde, because of which we attempted to bring her over to our side. However, the Thackeray faction had already announced her candidature, after which she was not keen on crossing over,” he revealed.
