Mumbai: Eyeing BMC elections, Uddhav Thackeray to address maiden meeting of booth coordinators tomorrow

Mumbai: Eyeing BMC elections, Uddhav Thackeray to address maiden meeting of booth coordinators tomorrow

Uddhav is expected to fire a fresh salvo against CM Eknath Shinde and also against the erstwhile ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in tomorrow’s meeting.

Sanjay JogUpdated: Tuesday, September 20, 2022, 06:43 PM IST
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Fromer Maharashtra CM and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray | PTI

Ahead of the customary Dussehra rally, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray will address the meeting of booth coordinators on September 21 at NESCO exhibition ground in north Mumbai. This is the maiden meeting to take stock of the party’s preparations in the run-up to the BMC elections with a focus on the rejuvenation and consolidation of the party organisation at the grassroots, especially after the rebellion staged by Eknath Shinde.

Uddhav is expected to fire a fresh salvo against CM Eknath Shinde and also against the erstwhile ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in tomorrow’s meeting. He is expected to exhort booth coordinators to increase outreach to voters in a serious bid to foil the BJP’s Mission 2022 of defeating the Shiv Sena in the ensuing BMC elections.

Wednesday's meeting is important especially after Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his recent visit to Mumbai had declared the BJP’s target of 150 plus seats in BMC elections. On the other hand, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted that BJP is geared up to defeat Shiv Sena and elect its own mayor in order to implement the Mumbai Development League.

Shiv Sena deputy leader and spokesperson Neelam Gorhe told the Free Press Journal, "Both male and female booth coordinators from Mumbai will attend a meeting on Wednesday to be addressed by the Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. The booth coordinators work at the micro level as every booth coordinator represents 1,000 voters. Their job is to check the names of voters on the voters' list and update it ahead of the coming elections. The booth coordinators’ meetings have been happening since 2006-07 onwards as it was in the past addressed by party supremo late Balasaheb Thackeray. On Wednesday, the party president will ask the booth coordinators to step up efforts to increase the party’s presence in Mumbai."

Wednesday’s meeting is important especially when Uddhav, despite the coup by Shinde and 39 Shiv Sena MLAs and the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, has been focusing on the party’s revival. He has been holding regular meetings with Shakha Pramukhs and Vibhag Pramukhs and also with city and district chiefs. The former Maharashtra CM has stitched an alliance with Sambhaji Brigade and he has been in favour of further strengthening ties with NCP and Congress in a bid to take on the BJP-Shinde camp alliance in the BMC elections and also in the upcoming polls to the other urban and rural local bodies.

Shiv Sena insiders said that Uddhav will make an emotional appeal to the booth coordinators to remain united to take on the BJP-Shinde camp amid the ongoing legal battle and attempts by them to further lure Shiv Sainiks ahead of BMC elections.

"Party president will expose Union Home Minister Amit Shah on his allegation of betrayal after the 2019 assembly elections. He will also defend the party's decision to join hands with NCP and Congress to form the government," noted a senior party leader.

Uddhav is expected to step up attacks against the Modi government for the alleged misuse of central agencies against the opposition while referring to the arrest of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut.

Apart from Shinde and Fadnavis, Shinde camp leaders Rahul Shewale, Gulabrao Patil, Ramdas Kadam, Uday Samant, Deepak Kesarkar and Bharat Gogawale will be under Uddhav’s radar as they have been levelling serious charges against him, Aaditya Thackeray and party in general.

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