Shirsat expresses doubt about whether Sena (UBT) veterans will accept Aaditya's leadership

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Dec 16 (PTI) Maharashtra Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat on Tuesday expressed scepticism as to whether the leadership of Aaditya Thackeray would be acceptable to senior leaders of the Shiv Sena (UBT).

Speaking to reporters here, he also claimed that the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena cared only about the civic elections in Mumbai, and not those in the rest of the state.

"(Uddhav) Thackeray left the Hindutva ideology when he formed an alliance with the Congress and NCP. They have never contested elections for party workers. They do it for themselves. I doubt whether senior people from Shiv Sena (UBT) will work under the leadership of Aaditya Thackeray. I also wonder how much Uddhav Thackeray will move around the state for campaigning (for civic elections)," said Shirsat, who belongs to the rival Sena faction led by deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Responding to Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut's jibe that the Shinde-led Shiv Sena is controlled by Union minister Amit Shah, Shirsat said that the Sena (UBT) was "in the possession of Rahul Gandhi and Sharad Pawar." Claiming that the opposition's Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance was nowhere visible on the ground, Shirsat claimed that winning the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation was the only aim of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS. "They are not paying attention to (the rest of) Maharashtra which will benefit the Mahayuti alliance," he added.

Asked about alliance with the BJP in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar for the January 15 civic polls, Shirsat said, "We will sit and discuss (seat-sharing) with BJP today. This will be the first round of talks." The Shinde-led Shiv Sena should contest more seats than the BJP in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, he said, pointing out that two out of the three MLAs from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar are of his party. PTI AW KRK