At a time when several Shiv Sena ministers and leaders have been shifting to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde camp, Uddhav Thackeray appointed Anand Dighe’s nephew Kedar Dighe as the head of the Shiv Sena’s Thane district unit.
This decision was taken after Thackeray met Dighe on Sunday, July 31. On the other hand, Anita Birje was made his deputy.
Anita Birje is a close associate of the late Dighe and headed the women's wing of Sena. She is a long term of Shiv Sainik and had not allowed Shinde to enter Shiv Sena shakha in Thane.
It is pertinent to note that Thane is the home turf of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde who heads the rebel camp of Sena MLAs. Anand Dighe was believed to be the mentor of Shinde, who rose through the Shiv Sena rank in his political career.
Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena leader and former Maharashtra minister Arjun Khotkar joined Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction citing certain “circumstances and problems” behind his decision.
Pradeep Shinde was made the Thane city chief and Chintamani Karkhanis was made regional spokesperson. Though most of the Shiv Sena in Thane has joined the Shinde faction, MP Rajan Vichare is still with Sena.
Meanwhile, it comes across as this move Uddhav Thackeray is aimed at countering Shinde’s claim on the legacy of Dighe who was popular in Thane.
For those unversed, Anand Dighe, who died in a road accident in 2001, had worked extensively to help Shiv Sena grow in Thane district and after his death Shinde worked for the Sena in Thane district and Palghar area.
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