Those who wish to return under Uddhav’s leadership may do so, says Sanjay Raut

Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP and chief Sena spokesperson said on Tuesday that those who regret leaving the undivided Shiv Sena and went away with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in 2022 regret should return to the Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray.

“If anyone regrets their mistake because of the way the BJP is insulting them, and if anyone feels that they have made a mistake or were misguided, they should come back to the party led by Uddhav Thackeray,” Raut said.

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Raut was reacting to a statement by Eknath Shinde-led Sena leader Abdul Sattar on Monday that “Our ally, the BJP is doing the work of beheading the (Eknath Shinde-led) Shiv Sena. Kamakhya Devi in Guwahati knows about our sacrifice, but the BJP has completely forgotten that sacrifice now. The BJP is creating factions inside our party. They had already broken our limbs, and now they have cut off our heads”.

“There is only one Shiv Sena, which was founded by Balasaheb Thackeray and led by Uddhav Thackeray. What these people are calling Shiv Sena is Amit Shah’s Shiv Sena. Those who still have self-respect, and those who have realised the true nature of the BJP, should come to Matoshree and meet Uddhav Thackeray,” Raut said.

“Why did you and your leaders (Eknath Shinde) go with the BJP? Going with BJP means being dishonest with Maharashtra, and dumping Maharashtra in a ditch. Abdul Sattar should tell his leadership, and express his position publicly,” Raut said.

Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena leader Abdul Sattar spoke out against the BJP after his son Sameer Sattar’s candidature for the Legislative Council election was rejected and the BJP fielded Suhas Shirsat from the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar-Jalna local body constituency instead.

Rejecting the BJP decision, his son Sameer Sattar filed an independent application and his father Abdul Sattar said, “Our Zilla Parishad is gone, and our power in the municipal corporation which existed during the time of Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray has also gone. What is left with us now? Individual BJP leaders are becoming big in many small seats and the (Eknath Shinde-led) Shiv Sena is being eliminated”.

After Sattar was asked about Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena leader Ambadas Danve’s recent statement that both Shiv Senas must come together, Abdul Sattar said, “I also feel that now both Shiv Senas must come together. If our leaders decide to come together, then there will be no need to ask anyone. I will completely accept the decision my leader takes”.

“If our ‘big brother’ (the BJP) is going to eliminate us by dividing the (Eknath Shinde-led) Shiv Sena, then we have no other remedy except to come together,” Abdul Sattar said.

Directly comparing the political situation in Maharashtra with West Bengal, Eknath Shinde-led Abdul Sattar said, “In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee and the BJP were together once. Later, their coordination broke down and today they are killing each other. Workers like me should take care and be vigilant because we do not have such a situation happening in Maharashtra. Our leader is one who takes farmers, Dalits, labourers and all castes with him”.