Mumbai, May 8 (IANS) The Sharad Pawar-led NCP on Thursday received a major jolt after seven former corporators of the Thane Municipal Corporation quit the party and joined Shiv Sena in the presence of the party’s chief leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The timing is crucial as the Supreme Court two days ago asked the Maharashtra government to complete the process of local body elections in four months.
The Shinde-led Shiv Sena has dominance in the Thane Municipal Corporation area and the party hopes to retain its hold after the upcoming elections.
The former corporators, who joined Shiv Sena, are from Kalwa, Kharegaon, and Vitawa in the Kalyan-Dombivli Lok Sabha constituency which is represented by Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde.
The move is a substantial blow to the NCP(SP) legislator from Kalwa-Mumbra Assembly constituency Jitendra Awhad who is a close confidant of veteran leader Sharad Pawar.
The new entrants in the Shiv Sena include former Thane Municipal Corporation Opposition Leader Milind Patil, former corporators Manali Patil, Mahesh Salvi, Manisha Salvi, Surekha Patil (former corporator and working president of the Thane Mahila NCP – Sharad Pawar group), Sachin Mhatre, Pramila Keni and youth leader Mandar Keni.
They officially joined Shiv Sena by accepting the party’s saffron flag and symbol — the bow and arrow.
With hundreds of workers from various talukas of Thane district joining Shiv Sena daily, the party is witnessing a groundswell of support in a region long regarded as the bastion of Dharmaveer Anand Dighe.
Currently, 78 former corporators in the Thane Municipal Corporation are affiliated with Shiv Sena.
“Shiv Sena does not work only for elections. Our commitment is year-round: Twelve months, 365 days a year. That dedication has inspired leaders and workers from other parties to put their faith in Eknath Shinde’s leadership and join our movement,” the party stated.
–IANS
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