Jolt for Uddhav as MLC Manisha Kayande joins Shinde's 'original' Shiv Sena

Shiv Sena-UBT MLC Manisha Kayande on Sunday joined the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde alleging that Uddhav Thackeray is inaccessible for receiving feedback on the party affairs.

She also claimed money is sought from women in the Thackeray faction.

Kayande's cross-over comes on the eve of the foundation day of Shiv Sena and it is a second jolt to the Thackeray-led faction in two days.

A day earlier, senior leader Shishir Shinde resigned from the party.

Speaking at the function after joining Shiv Sena in neighbouring Thane, Kayande claimed she waited for a year to see if the Thackeray-led faction would introspect over why party workers were leaving Shiv Sena-UBT.

Kayande was made secretary of Shiv Sena and also its spokesperson.

"The Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde is the original Sena which belongs to Balasaheb Thackeray," she said.

Kayande said the Shinde government has been working efficiently since it came to power last June.

She hit out at Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut and party leader Sushma Andhare without naming them for propagating the agenda of NCP and Congress.

"People who talk every morning criticising others, push the agenda of Congress and NCP and speak against Hindu gods and goddesses cannot be the face of Shiv Sena," she said.

Hours before Kayande joined Shiv Sena, the Thackeray-led faction removed her as the spokesperson for "anti-party" activities. She is, however, not expelled from her parent party.

Kayande said she was not involved in any anti-party activity.

"What is the use when you cannot reach out to the leadership with your feedback and tell them that money is sought from women in the party," she claimed.

If anyone cannot talk to the party president, something wrong is happening in the party. Someone is extracting money from activists. If someone extracts money from women, this is not the Shiv Sena of Balasaheb, she said.

Kayande said those who leave Shiv Sena-UBT are labelled as trash, but they should know that energy can be generated from the garbage.

Kayande, who joined Shiv Sena (Undivided) in 2012, also claimed that no one in the party was in favour of allying with Congress and NCP (after the 2019 elections).

She is a member of the state Legislative Council and her term expires on July 27, 2024. She is an MLC from the Legislative Assembly quota.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Shinde took potshots at Thackeray, who he said was patting his own back over COVID management.

"People cannot be saved by doing Facebook live and through online interaction. It was me who was on the field ensuring that people get treatment and medicines and arranging for the funeral of the deceased,' he claimed.

Referring to the formation of Maha Vikas Aghadi after the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, Shinde said Thackeray compromised his ideology for power.

Speaking on Thackeray's speech at the Shiv Sena-UBT plenary held in Mumbai in the evening, Shinde said it was the same script and nothing new.

"I think he (Uddhav) needs to change his scriptwriter. One needs strength to comment on the prime minister, Amit Shah, the chief minister and the Deputy CM.

"Whenever Modi's sight turns on those commenting against him they will face consequences. Modi doesn't give any importance to such people and their remarks," he said.

Shinde also referred to spitting by Sanjay Raut during a press conference.

"The people will give a befitting reply to spitting," he said.

The chief minister said his government was making genuine efforts for the welfare of people and expediting projects which were stopped by the previous MVA government.

Earlier in the day, after it became clear that Kayande was on her way out, Shiv Sena-UBT leaders hit out at her, saying despite getting everything in the organisation she has chosen to leave it.

"She joined us after leaving the Bharatiya Janata Party, got everything, and now since she is unlikely to be re-nominated to the Legislative Council, she has chosen to leave,' Shiv Sena-UBT leader Vinayak Raut told reporters.