The soft fabric has nearly ousted the rough and cheaper one from political circles.
With some sitting corporators quitting the party and Shiv Sena’s city unit president resigning from the post just ahead of the civic elections, party leader Neelam Gorhe, who is at the helms of the affair, finds herself in troubled waters.
About his resignation, Shiv Sena’s city unit president, Nana Wadekar, said, “I tendered my resignation late on Saturday night. However, I am still very much in the party. I would continue to work for the party wholeheartedly. My respect and regard for Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray and party’s working president Uddhav Thackeray do not permit me betray to the party at such a crucial juncture.”
The resignation of Wadekar comes close on the heels of allegation by party worker, Sunil Jagtap, who had said that candidature for the civic elections is for sale. However, during his visit to the city on Saturday, former chief minister, Manohar Joshi denied that money was being accepted to give tickets.
Wadekar’s resignation is yet another blow for the party. Sitting Shiv Sena corporator, Leena Pansare, quit the party and is contesting the polls as a Nationalist Congress Party candidate from Rambaug Colony ward.
Gorhe has been downplaying the onslaught by Shiv Sainiks saying, “Such things do happen during the elections.”
Wadekar has now joined the Shiv Sainiks and has described Gorhe as “arrogant”.
Wadekar told DNA, “I had to resign because my style of functioning is different than that of Gorhe. She has not been consulting other leaders in the city before taking major decisions. Such functioning may affect the prospects of the grand pact of the Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Republican Party of India (RPI) in the civic elections.”
Pansare alleged she was forced to switch side because her style of functioning did not match with that of Gorhe and other local leaders. “I was hurt with the treatment I was getting from the local leadership. They made me run from pillar to post for party candidature, notwithstanding my performance as a corporator over the last five years. Gorhe called me up at the last moment insisting that I withdraw and give the opportunity to someone else,” Pansare said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}