Shinde-led Sena revives employment wing to woo ‘Marathi Manoos’ ahead of BMC polls

Shiv Sena revives SLSM to aid Marathi workforce ahead of BMC elections, aiming to secure local jobs and strengthen grassroots organization.

MUMBAI: With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections approaching, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has decided to revive an old organisational arm that once played a key role in mobilising the Marathi workforce. On October 9, the party will launch its own version of the Sthaniya Lokadhikar Samiti Mahasangh (SLSM), modelled on the original body formed by Bal Thackeray, founder of Shiv Sena, to secure employment opportunities for locals in public sector units and banks.

Shinde-led Sena revives employment wing to woo ‘Marathi Manoos’ ahead of BMC polls

Senior leader and MP Gajanan Kirtikar, who once headed the undivided Sena’s SLSM, will now lead the new wing in the Shinde faction. “Balasaheb had set up SLSM to fight the hardships faced by the Marathi manoos. Late Sudhir Joshi was the first head, I was the general secretary, and later I took charge. Anil Desai now heads it in the UBT faction, while I will lead it in our party,” Kirtikar told Hindustan Times.

The formal announcement will take place at Birla Matoshree Sabhagriha. Kirtikar said the revived organisation already has 1,500 delegates, with another 3,000 expected to join soon. It has also secured office space near Breach Candy Hospital.

“We’ve set up units in the Reserve Bank of India, State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Mumbai Port Authority, Railways, Mazagon Dock, and the Naval Dockyard,” Kirtikar said. “With global job opportunities tightening and competition in Mumbai rising, we want to ensure Marathi youth don’t lose out. We’ll stand firmly with them.”

From the 1970s through the 2010s, the SLSM trained Marathi candidates for bank, state, and central government recruitment exams, helping thousands secure employment. It also conducted pre-election surveys for the Shiv Sena, providing critical ground feedback that Bal Thackeray relied on. “Just as the RSS works for the BJP, SLSM was the Sena’s backbone in every public sector unit,” Kirtikar recalled.

Deputy chief minister and party head Eknath Shinde, who has been focusing on strengthening the organisation at the grassroots, has roped in several key figures to support the initiative. His son and MP Shrikant Shinde will serve as working president of the new SLSM, while Arun More will be working secretary. Mumbai MPs Ravindra Waikar, Naresh Mhaske, and Milind Deora have also been asked to back the organisation in policy and recruitment-related matters.

“Shinde saheb is very resourceful and has promised full support to expand our network,” said Kirtikar. “We will play a strong role in helping the Shiv Sena during the BMC elections.”