Wrestler behind MVA rift may switch to Shinde Sena
MUMBAI: Former wrestler Chandrahar Patil, whose candidature from Sangli Lok Sabha constituency on Shiv Sena (UBT) ticket had become a bone of contention between the Congress and Uddhav Thackeray-led party during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, attended a dinner hosted by a Shiv Sena minister for deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday. This has led to speculations that he could be on his way to Shinde-led Sena, even though he clarified he had met Sena leaders to discuss sports-related issues. The development has put Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership in a tight spot as it had made Patil's candidature a prestige issue, which threatened the unity of the opposition coalition, Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
Patil reportedly met Shinde at Kudal in Sindhudurg district when the latter was there for a party function on Thursday. Later he was also seen at a dinner hosted for Shinde by Uday Samant, industries minister and Shiv Sena leader. Following reports of him meeting Shinde and attending the dinner, Patil, in two social media posts, admitted that he attended the dinner hosted by Samant as the minister was his friend since 2005.
'I went to Ratnagiri for personal work when I met Samant, who has been my friend since 2005 when he was in NCP. He invited me for the dinner, so I went there. I was there barely for 15-20 minutes. My enemies have planted the news that I was joining Shiv Sena,' he said in a post.
In the second post, the state organiser of SS (UBT) added, 'For me, sport is more important than politics as it gave me an identity. I don't think it was wrong to meet an important person in the government for the development of sports in the state. If needed, I will meet again.'
The development comes as a major embarrassment for Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, who made Patil's candidature a prestige issue during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Though the seat was a traditional Congress seat, Thackeray faction contented that the party lost it to BJP in 2019 elections and had a better candidate in Chandrahar Patil, a wrestler who became popular after winning the state wrestling championships.
Congress leaders had strongly opposed it saying it was their traditional seat. The fight over Sangli seat had disrupted the seat-sharing talks, with Thackeray insisting on contesting it. Congress gave in to his aggressive demand, but local Congress leaders supported party rebel Vishal Patil, who won the election by defeating the sitting BJP MP Sanjaykaka Patil. Chandrahar came third.
On Saturday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Kishori Pednekar reacted bitterly to the reports of Chandrahar Patil hobnobbing with Shinde-led Sena.
'This has been the misfortune of our party. Our leadership pulls out all stops for certain people, but they turn traitors. We don't know where this har (garland in Marathi) will fall,' she remarked. She added that there is nothing wrong in maintaining personal relations, but the party would watch further developments.
Shiv Sena (UBT) post sparks speculations of Thackeray brothers uniting
An X post from the official handle of Shiv Sena (UBT) saying, 'It is time to come together for Mumbai and Maharashtra...' has sparked fresh speculations that the Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, may come together.
'It is time to come together for Mumbai and Maharashtra. Shiv sainik is ready to guard Marathi pride,' the post read with Uddhav Thackeray's photo.
A week ago, there were rumours of the two brothers burying hatchet after Raj, in a podcast, said he was ready to keep aside his differences with Uddhav. A few hours later, Uddhav said in a party function that he can set aside minor disputes for the interest of Maharashtra and Marathi manoos.
Currently both the brothers are on vacation abroad. Raj has told his partymen that he would speak on the issue after returning to Mumbai on April 30.
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