Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The dispute between Shiv Sena’s MLA and District Guardian Minister Sanjay Shirsat and the party’s district president Rajendra Janjal came to the fore in recent days, with both openly alleging wrongdoing by the other. The rift between the two leaders does not appear likely to end soon.
Former mayor Trambak Tupe recently joined Shiv Sena, and political circles have suggested that Shirsat had worked to facilitate his entry. Janjal later sent a list of new executive district bodies, triggering a fresh dispute between him and Shirsat.
With municipal corporation elections approaching, Shiv Sena has devised a strategy over the past year to bring Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders and activists into Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde). However, these leaders failed to make any significant impact in the recent Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, leading Janjal to take the position that they should not be included in party activities.
Rumours have also circulated that Janjal is planning to join the BJP. Shirsat, meanwhile, facilitated the entry of several leaders into Shiv Sena in Mumbai in the presence of party chief and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The dispute between Shirsat and Janjal has been visible since then, and the internal rift has now emerged in the open.
Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde has taken cognisance of the situation and indicated that a solution will be sought after the municipal council elections. Until now, the dispute between Shirsat and Janjal continues.
