Sena (UBT) sacks Nashik leader Sudhakar Badgujar for ‘anti-party’ activities

Nashik, Jun 4 (PTI) The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday expelled Sudhakar Badgujar, a deputy leader from its Nashik district unit, for “anti-party” activities, two days after he met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Badgujar called his expulsion “one-sided” and “wrong”.

The party’s former district chief Datta Gaikwad announced Badgujar’s sacking during a press conference after he received a call from Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and senior leader Sanjay Raut about the decision.

“Just now, I received a phone call from Uddhavji and Sanjay Raut saheb. They said that Sudhakar Badgujar has been expelled from the party for anti-party activities,” Gaikwad told the media.

Badgujar had met CM Fadnvis during the latter’s visit to Nashik on June 2. He had also openly expressed his unhappiness over the party’s functioning. Badgujar had claimed that he, Vilas Shinde, who is the Nashik city chief of Sena (UBT), and about a dozen other leaders were unhappy.

Vilas Shinde had invited Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, who heads the rival Shiv Sena, to his daughter’s wedding on Monday (June 2), which BJP leader and minister Girish Mahajan also attended.

Wednesday’s press conference was organised by D G Suryavanshi, the Nashik district chief of Sena (UBT). Vilas Shinde, Nashik MP Rajabhau Vaje, deputy leader Sunil Bagul, former MLA Vasant Gite, ex-mayor Vinayak Pande and Datta Gaikwad were present during the press meet.

When asked about the party’s decision to sack him, Badgujar said that expressing dissatisfaction over something is not a crime. If it was prompted by his meeting with the CM, the move is "wrong" and "one-sided", he said.

“I had met CM Fadnavis over the demands of the employees of the Nashik Municipal Corporation. The party chief has made the decision, and I accept it. I will present my stand and future strategy when the time comes,” he said.

Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member leader Raut said Badgujar's voice doesn’t represent their party’s entire Nashik unit. “He is just a colleague,” said Raut, refusing to speak more on the matter despite repeated prodding.

Ever since its dismal performance in last year’s assembly elections, in which the party could win only 20 of the state’s 288 seats, many Sena (UBT) leaders have jumped ship, particularly to the Shinde Sena.

On Wednesday morning, Shiv Sena spokesperson and state minister Sanjay Shirsat claimed that wrestler-turned-politician Chandrahar Patil, who had fought the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Sangli seat as a Sena (UBT) candidate, would join the ruling Shiv Sena on June 9.

Political parties in the state are now gearing up for the elections to local bodies, including the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), expected to be held in the next few months. PTI COR PR NR