Uddhav puts down the rebellion in the Thackeray fortress | news from mumbai

Mumbai: Two days after the Shiv Sena (UTB) released its first list of candidates for the assembly elections, party chief Uddhav Thackeray had to step in to quell an embarrassing rebellion in a Mumbai constituency where a candidate was denied the ticket to participate.

In Shivadi’s constituency, Sudhir Salvi led a small army of rebels to protest the party’s decision to re-nominate Ajay Choudhuri. On Friday morning, a poster saying ‘Mala Tumchyashi Bolayache Aahe’ (I want to talk to you) started doing rounds on social media. In the evening, more than 2,500 supporters showed up at Lalbaug to meet him. The situation has become potentially embarrassing for the party, threatening to damage its electoral prospects in its stronghold.

Finally, Uddhav Thackeray called Salvi to his Matoshree residence for a meeting. After they met, Salvi emerged a changed man. “I met party chief Uddhav Thackeray. He told me he wouldn’t let me down. I was loyal to the party yesterday, I am loyal to the party today and I will remain loyal to the party tomorrow. Loyalty is most important,” Salvi told his supporters in Lalbaug.

In an emotional speech, Salvi indicated that he was unwillingly withdrawing from the election race with a heavy heart. “I started working for the party in the 90s. Keeping in view the public opinion, I had asked for a ticket from Shivadi assembly constituency but the party took a different decision. I know I’m the MP in your mind. But party loyalty is more important. So I have decided to remain loyal to the party and will continue to work for you,” he said.

While there were rumors on Friday morning that Salvi might contest from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena or as an independent, his meeting with Thackeray put an end to all speculations.

The Sena (UBT) declared its first list of 65 candidates on Wednesday; fielded all its sitting MLAs except Ajay Choudhari, who is also the group leader of the party in the assembly from June 2022, when the Sena split. Later on Thursday, Thackeray renominated Choudhari as he remained loyal despite the split.

Choudhari represents the Shivadi constituency, which covers ‘Girangaon’, once the textile hub of Mumbai. It is a bastion of Marathi manoos and still has a sizeable population of mill worker families, making the Shivadi constituency special for the Sena (UBT) and politically significant.

After the Ganesh festival, there were reports that Salvi, who is also a trustee of the Lalbaughcha Raja trust, might get a ticket from the Sena (UBT). As an administrator, Salvi had worked with Anant Ambani, son of industrialist Mukesh Ambani. Anant was recently appointed as the Executive Advisor to the Lalbaugcha Raja Committee.

In Dombivali, another disgruntled loyalist, Sadanand Tharwal, former Kalyan district chief of the Sena (UBT), resigned from the party to protest being denied a ticket. The party fielded Dipesh Mhatre, who joined the Eknath Shinde-led Sena after the Shiv Sena split in 2022. However, Mhatre switched to the Sena (UBT) to secure an assembly ticket. The reason Mhatre had to switch sides is that Dombivali is traditionally a BJP seat in the Mahayuti alliance, which includes the Shinde-led Sena.