In another rude jolt to the Shiv Sena (UBT), its senior leader and Deputy Chairperson of Maharashtra Legislative Council Dr Neelam Gorhe joined the ruling ally Shiv Sena, here on Friday.
Dr Gorhe has been with the Shiv Sena (UBT) for over three decades, and her decision comes barely three weeks after the party’s spokesperson Dr Manisha Kayande had joined the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Dr Gorhe was welcomed to the Shiv Sena fold by Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and other senior leaders.
Upon her entry to Shiv Sena, she said that Shinde is on the right track and the party belongs to him as per the decision of the court.
“I have officially joined the Shiv Sena. It is heading in the right direction under the leadership of CM Shinde,” she announced.
Dismissing suggestions that she was unhappy or disgruntled with the Shiv Sena (UBT), she said that it was a conscious decision keeping in mind the women’s issues and overall development of the state and country.
Incidentally, political circles have been abuzz with speculation about Dr Gorhe's political moves since the past over five months.
However, the Shiv Sena (UBT) top brass, including Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve, had stoutly denied any such possibility even this morning.
Welcoming her, Shinde said that Dr Gorhe holds a Constitutional post and pointed out that she is not ‘defecting’ but has come back to the original Shiv Sena.
He added how his Shiv Sena is emerging stronger by the day and people keep joining it seeing the impact of its unity with the ruling ally Bharatiya Janata Party.
“People are seeing the work we are doing. Even Dr. Gorhe will be able to work freely with all her heart for women’s issues,” assured the CM.
Shinde pointed out how it was the wish of the people of the state who wanted the Shiv Sena-BJP to be together as per the elections mandate of Nov. 2019, and that’s why he and 50 other MLAs walked out in June 2022.
“We did not come together for the lust of power… We were already in power. We had a common ideological ground from the days of the late Balasaheb Thackeray and the late PM Atal Behari Vajpayee. We did not compromise our ideals and our ideology. Even the Supreme Court has ruled in our favour,” declared Shinde.
Fadnavis said that Dr Gorhe has taken a wise decision and so he had come personally to welcome her into the alliance.
To a query whether there was any scope for the Opposition, the Deputy CM smiled and said that he believes that there should be a strong opposition in a democracy.
“However, the Opposition should be a constructive one, and not destructive as we are witnessing,” Fadnavis urged.
Referring to the political grapevine of the past four days, Shinde reiterated that the Opposition is 'planting rumours' that he was preparing to quit to confuse the people.
“Let them do so. We are strongly united, PM Narendra Modi is leading the nation ahead to become a superpower and we think we have a role to play as a state. The Opposition should introspect before hurling allegations,” said Shinde.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut slammed Dr. Gorhe’s move to quit after the party did so much for her, while senior leader Chandrakant Khaire said she was hankering for positions and has left.