In one of the first desertions from the Shiv Sena after Bal Thackeray's death, former legislator Parshuram Uparkar is planning to quit the party after differences with the leadership.
Uparkar, who had taken on industries minister Narayan Rane on his home turf of Sindhudurg in the Konkan after he was expelled from the Sena in 2005, may join the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navanirman Sena.
Uparkar admitted he had met Raj in Goa recently and is said to be miffed at being denied a renomination to the state legislative council and sidelined in the organisation. He told DNA that he would decide on whether to quit the Sena in a few days after consulting his loyalists.
"The district-level office bearers and workers loyal to me have resigned from the party. They decided to keep mum because of the way the organisation has been treating us," Uparkar said.
Sena sources admit that if the party leadership does not step in for damage control and accommodate disgruntled supporters, more leaders may quit.
Sena MLC and secretary Vinayak Raut admitted to reports that Uparkar was likely to quit, but said they had not received his resignation yet.
