Uddhav's Sympathy Strategy to Hold Cadre after Mutiny in Sena, Says Shinde-led Rebels Will Go to BJP

Exposing his vulnerability to his cadre, Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray reached out to disgruntled party post holders and corporators in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) who may be on the verge of changing camps.

The aim was to secure the sympathy and loyalty of the cadre and thus prevent it from going into the hands of the Eknath Shinde camp that claims to have the majority of the MLAs with it.

While speaking to the party workers through videoconferencing, Thackeray told them that they can leave if they wish. He demanded absolute loyalty when he asked them to be with the Shiv Sena wholeheartedly.

Amid fears of the Shinde faction laying claim on the party symbol, concerns over losing it and the party name were palpable in what both Uddhav and his son Aaditya Thackeray had to say.

“Strength is not just in numbers. We have the blessings of Balasaheb Thackeray and the people,” said Aaditya.

A new beginning?

Similarly, a senior member of the party said that Uddhav told everyone he is ready to “start afresh” if the cadre is with him.

While many in the party say that there is a parallel line of communication open with the rebels, Friday’s address of Uddhav and Aaditya Thackeray has belied all this as they launched an attack on the Shinde camp.

“Those MLAs who have defected have no other option but to go to the BJP. If they still want to remain ministers, they have to be with the BJP. But if they want to remain Shiv Sainiks with respect, they should come forward and rebuild Sena,” Aaditya reportedly told the corporators.

Not offering much assurance to the rebel MLAs, Uddhav too reiterates these sentiments: “Those who left us have no option but to go to the BJP, which wants to finish us.”

So, with these mixed messages, the Thackerays have tried to show that they are willing to bend for the party’s sake but the mistrust runs deep and the subtle messaging against them too has not gone down well with the rebel faction.

Will sympathy play work?

Emerging out of the meeting, the Sena BMC councillors seemed a happy and sympathetic lot.

“We used to think how bad he must be feeling after all of this, but after listening to him we think he is full of confidence. The rebels have black hearts,” said Sarda from the Parel ward.

The Shiv Sena came to power in the BMC — considered Asia’s richest civic body— in 1985 and has held the reins of the corporation ever since. Elections are expected to be held this time after the monsoon.

Sheetal Mhatre, spokesperson of Shiv Sena, empathises with the Thackerays. “Sharirik takleef se zyada mansik takleef hai. Aaj Sahab ki halat dekh ke hamare bhi aankhon mein aansu aa gaye (More than physical, it is mental pain that Uddhav is in. I teared up after seeing his condition),” she said.

Even party leaders would like to believe that the Thackerays are gaining the same sympathy that they did when Narayan Rane and Raj Thackeray left the Shiv Sena.

“Even those were touted as two big setbacks that could make us lose elections but look, today our vote banks are intact. Even Uddhav ji says that we should start afresh as we are not setting up a new party but taking the cadre along,” stated an insider.

Uddhav touched upon his poor health again and invoked his father Balasaheb’s name. “He (Uddhav) said that if his people think he is useless and incapable of running the party, we should tell him. He will separate himself from the party and is ready to quit the party as we respect him due to Balasaheb Thackeray,” stated a corporator.

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