Shiv Sena-UBT leader Chandrakant Khaire, who lost the Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat in the recent elections, on Sunday initially expressed his unhappiness over the inclusion of BJP leader Raju Shinde into the party, holding him responsible for his defeat.
Giving a severe blow to BJP, former BJP deputy mayor Raju Shinde along with his supporters joined the Shiv Sena (UBT) group in the presence of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Thackeray tied the Shiv Bandhan to Shinde and others. Several local BJP leaders tried to convince Shinde for not leaving BJP including former union minister Raosaheb Danve and MLA Haribhau Bagade. However, the efforts taken to please Shinde proved futile and Shinde along with his supports joined SS (UBT) on Sunday afternoon.
Shinde planning to contest Aurangabad (West) assembly seat
Raju Shinde is planning to contest the Aurangabad (West) assembly constituency. However, the sitting MLA is Sanjay Shirsath from the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction). During the seat sharing among the Mahayuti, it is likely that Shirsath will claim this seat again and hence there is less possibility that BJP will get this seat. Hence, Shinde was upset over this. Speaking to the newsmen, Shinde mentioned that BJP had worked for the victory of the Mahayuti Contestant for the Lok Sabha election and made Shiv Sena (Shinde) victorious.
"We in BJP work only for victory of Shinde Sena candidates and we do not get the chance. Thus me and my supporters decided to join Shiv Sena (UBT)," he stated.
Shinde claimed that five to six members joined Sena. However, state BJP general secretary Jalinder Shindge said that only two corporators from BJP have left the party including Shinde and Gokul Malke. The rest of the corporators do not have any connection with the party, he mentioned.
Khaire expresses displeasure
Khaire, in his speech, first seemed to express displeasure over the induction of Shinde into the party, saying that he was responsible for his defeat as he helped his Shiv Sena rival Sandipan Bhumare to win 25,000 votes.
"However, I want to clarify that I am not upset. Now I expect Raju Shinde to do a good job for the party," he added. In his address at the event, Thackeray said he deliberately chose Sambhajinagar to launch his state-wide Yatra to tell the "traitors" (the Shinde-led Sena) that the Shiv Sena-UBT will win it next time.
"I am sorry that there is no MP of the Shiv Sena-UBT though it was our winning seat. The (Narendra) Modi government was to win with 400 plus but in Maharashtra, we have brought them (BJP) to 9. I am a fighter, I have come to Sambhajinagar with the desire that I will win again," he asserted.
