In a dramatic move orchestrated by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena’s two-time MP from Kalyan-Dombivli Anand Paranjape announced his affiliation to the NCP on Friday.
Pawar termed it a “tit-for-tat answer” to the Shiv Sena, which recently had inducted one member of the state legislative council, two corporators and two former corporators from the NCP.
In a secretive operation, Pawar invited Paranjape in the middle of a press conference hurriedly called at the party headquarters at Nariman Point.
While answering questions on defections in almost all the parties in the last few days, Pawar asked his men to invite Paranjape to the conference.
Criticising the leadership of Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray,Paranjape said the Sena has departed from its link with the common man and principals laid by the party chief Bal Thackeray.
He said that Sena leadership’s stand of late had been contradictory to its basic policies and completely against the interest of the common people.
He cited the examples of how Sena has been opposing burial ground for the minorities and stalled the plan of a stadium at Kalwa.
“In such a scenario, though I still worship Bal Thackeray, I had no option but to look up to the leadership of mass based leader Sharad Pawar. This would help me in effectively working in the interest of the public interest and development of Thane, Kalyan and Dombivli, the reason that has experienced rapid urbanisation in the last few years,” said Paranjape.
“The present leadership of the party has nothing to do with the public interest.Loyal and dedicated party workers feel ‘suffocated’ under the leadership of Uddhav. The party has lost its identity that used to be under the leadership of Bal Thackeray and Anand Dighe in Thane,” he said.
Pawar said that he got the ‘inspiration’ for luring Sena MP from his old-time friend and well-wisher Bal Thackeray. “Uddhav had announced that induction of NCP MLA and corporators was implemented under the guidance of the Sena supremo.I took inspiration from him,” he said.
Sena demanded that Paranjape should resign as MP before joining hands with NCP. “Paranjape should first resign and then talk against the Sena. People like him are of no value to us and his decision does not concern us. The decision to expel him or not will be taken by the Sena chief,” said Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut.
As news of Paranjape joining the NCP spread in Thane, policemen were posted near his house at Naupada in Thane.
A few angry Shiv Sainiks raised slogans against Paranjape and burnt his effigy. The policealso arrested a few Sena activists who tried to vandalise his office in Kalyan.
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