Video: Two Sena factions face off in the Mumbai Municipal Authority office

Bombay:

The rival Shiv Sena factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde came face to face at the party’s office at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters in southern Mumbai on Wednesday night.

Tensions raged on the grounds for an hour until the police intervened.

The confrontation took place after North-Central Mumbai MP Rahul Shewale, former standing committee chairman Yashwant Jadhav and former committee member Sheetal Mhatre, all belonging to the Shinde-led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena, entered the party office at around 5 pm.

#WATCH | Maharashtra: A scuffle broke out earlier today between both Shiv Sena factions at BMC headquarters in Mumbai pic.twitter.com/Pk6fFlc85O

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2022

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) former members of the faction including Ashish Chemburkar and Sachin Padwal objected to their presence, leading to heated exchanges, sources said.

Tensions raged for nearly an hour with workers from both sides shouting slogans before police intervened and removed everyone from the office.

Both factions claimed that no attempt had been made to claim the party office by any party, contrary to some reports.

The headquarters has offices of all major political parties on the ground floor of the monumental building.

Mr Shewale told PTI they had not claimed the party office but were at the BMC building to meet the council commissioner.

“When we visited the office, we found a sticker with Yashvant Jadhav’s name on the name tag. Because of his efforts, this office was set up. So we removed the sticker and wreathed the bust of Shiva Maharaj contained in it.” he said.

Speaking in Nagpur, Maharashtra minister and Shinde faction leader Deepak Kesarkar said that the office belongs to the Shiv Sena, and that their faction was the authentic Shiv Sena as their claim has also been accepted by the Maharashtra assembly.

“They (the Thackeray faction) should realize that they have already lost their majority everywhere… They should accept that they have abandoned the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray and Hindutva and that they are in the minority,” he added .

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