As Shiv Sena Chief and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray continue to fight the battle of existence ahead of crucial Mumbai civic elections Shiv Sena cadre hopes that he might extend the olive branch to estranged cousin Raj in an effort to continue the hold on India’s richest civic body. Raj’s camp has also sent positive signals to Uddhav.
Recently when reporters asked Raj Thackeray’s wife Sharmila, if Uddhav and Raj Thackeray would join hands to save the Thackeray legacy and Shiv Sena, she asked a counter question to reporters, “What do you think about ( Uddhav and Raj) coming together”. She sent a subtle message to Uddhav saying, “ Let there be a call, and let us see then”. Sharmila didn’t outrightly reject the possibility of two brothers joining hands.
Raj Thackeray’s close confidant Bala Nandgaokar speaking to reporters in Mumbai said on Monday that Raj Thackeray will take a call on any such matter. When reporters insisted on the comment, Nandgaonkar said, “Many efforts have been done in past for this”.
BJP eyes BMC
After engineering a vertical split in Shiv Sena and putting rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on the seat of Chief Minister, BJP is now eyeing controlling the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Shiv Sena has been ruling Mumbai for the last 30 years and for the first time it is facing a daunting challenge from the BJP in the forthcoming civic elections.
With an annual budget of over ₹45,000 crore and an infrastructure outlay of ₹22,646 crore, the BMC’s financial power is the lifeline of Shiv Sena’s politics.
Now, with help of rebel Eknath Shinde and his 40 rebel Sena MLAs, BJP has announced that it will demolish Sena’s dominance in Mumbai. BJP’s Mumbai city Chief Ashish Shelar has categorically said that the party will ensure Sena is thrown out of the BMC. In fact, the BJP and Shinde have been claiming that the rebel Sena faction is the “ real Shiv Sena” and Shinde has claimed the party symbol.