BMC polls an ‘acid test’ for Shiv Sena (UBT), says Thackeray

Former mayor and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Kishori Pednekar said Thackeray had asked them to reach out to people in all 227 wards in the city

Mumbai: With chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde having sounded the bugle for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls on behalf of the BJP and the Shiv Sena, respectively, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has asked office-bearers and party workers to prepare for an ‘acid test’.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday engaged sculptors to repair the Meentai Thackeray statue at Shivaji Park (Raju Shinde/ HT Photo)

“Generally while speaking about testing the strength of a political party in elections, the term ‘litmus test’ is used. But during his meeting with shakha pramukhs and office bearers on Wednesday, Uddhav Thackeray said the polls would be like an acid test for us. This indicates we are facing a do or die situation,” a senior party leader told Hindustan Times on condition of anonymity.

Over 50% former corporators of the undivided Shiv Sena, which controlled the BMC for more than 25 years, have deserted Uddhav Thackeray since the split in the party in 2022, putting the Shiv Sena (UBT) in a tight spot, the leader added.

During his meeting with shakha pramukhs and party officer-bearers on Wednesday, Uddhav Thackeray asked participants about their views regarding an alliance with the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for the BMC polls. Nearly everyone present said they were in favour of the alliance and it would benefit the party. Thackeray then said he would take a final call on the alliance soon and urged party workers to start preparations for the polls in all 227 wards in the city.

While recent reports have indicated that around 15 former corporators who had joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena could return to Shiv Sena (UBT), Thackeray tried to boost the morale of loyalists, saying they would be given preference in the upcoming polls.

“Even if former corporators return, there is no guarantee that they will be given tickets for the BMC polls, the party chief told us,” a Shiv Sena (UBT) office-bearer told HT.

Former mayor and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Kishori Pednekar said Thackeray had asked them to reach out to people in all 227 wards in the city by organising various functions and programmes.

“During the Lok Sabha and assembly polls, the BJP used the ‘batenge to katenge’ narrative to divide people on the basis of religion. Now too, Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam is claiming that a Muslim will become the mayor, which is part of the same divisive politics,” said Pednekar.

Sena (UBT) repairs statue

The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday engaged sculptors to repair the Meentai Thackeray statue at Shivaji Park which was defaced on Wednesday. Some cracks have appeared in the shed erected over the statue, which party workers will repair and paint. They will also install a toughened glass or acrylic sheet shield around the statue to protect it, party functionaries have told Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.

On Wednesday too, Sena (UBT) workers had cleaned up the ink smeared on the statue shortly after the incident came to light.

Meanwhile, Upendra Pavaskar, who was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly defacing the statue, was on Thursday remanded in police custody by a local court till September 20.

The police told the court they are yet to ascertain his motive behind the act and recover the paint can used to deface the statue. There are some non-cognizable cases registered against him at Dadar police station and he stays alone, the police said.

Pavaskar’s counsel argued that since the First Information Report (FIR) said that an unknown person had defaced the statue, it could be anyone and his client should be remanded in judicial custody.