In 2012, a public meeting at Thane’s Gaonadevi Maidan echoed the voice of the weak Balasaheb Thackeray – his last in the city. “Thane is my favorite city. It was here that the saffron flag of Shiv Sena was hoisted for the first time. he was right. Nearly a year after its inception in 1966, the Shiv Sena had tasted power for the first time, winning 17 of 40 seats in the municipal elections of Thane, adjacent to Mumbai.
Five decades later, the split in the Shiv Sena, now led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the eccentricity of late Thane leader Anand Dighe, has led many experts to question the party’s existence.
From MLAs to former Thane councilors, many of them have pledged their support to Shinde. Eknath Shinde, MLA from Kopri-Panchpakhadi of the city, took oath in the name of both Balasaheb and Anand Dighe while taking oath as CM. From the day of his rebellion and before, he has vowed to carry forward the ideology of the former and the legacy of the latter.
While ousted Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray assured in his recent two-part Saamana interview that Thane voters will “teach the rebels a lesson”, experts agree that the upcoming local body elections will be a litmus test for both camps.
‘One Man Army’ in Thane
The success of the Shiv Sena in Thane, especially since the 1980s, has been credited to Dharamveer (as he is popularly known) Anand Dighe. A leader with a massive following, he is also known as the “Thackeray of Thane”. In 1984, Dighe became the party’s Thane district president at a young age.
Known for his strong tactics, he was accused in the murder of Shiv Sena councilor Shridhar Khopkar, who had allegedly cross-voted the Congress in the mayor’s election that year. He was arrested under the now defunct Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, or TADA, along with other charges, and was later granted bail.
Senior journalist Sujatha Anandan told News18.com, “It was Anand Dighe who provided money and muscle power to Bal Thackeray (in Thane), which Shinde was providing to Uddhav Thackeray.”
Dighe also mentioned the current crop of leaders of the district, including Eknath Shinde and Rajan Vichare (current Lok Sabha MP from Thane’s Uddhav camp).
Anand Dighe died of cardiac arrest at Thane’s Singhania Hospital in 2001 after being admitted there after a car accident. Angry Shiv Sena workers took to the streets and burnt parts of the hospital, broke medical equipment and damaged public property to mourn the loss of their leader.
“I say Dighe had become a Frankenstein demon for Thackeray (Balasaheb). Even he could not control it (the violence that followed Anand Dighe’s death).
Uddhav vs Shinde in Thane civic polls
In an effort to rebuild the Shiv Sena, party president Uddhav Thackeray appointed Kedar Dighe, nephew of Anand Dighe, as the organization’s Thane district chief in July.
Shiv Sena leaders kept the cadre sentiment positive and criticized Shinde for not taking up his grievances with the party chief.
“The people of Thane have seen the dedication of Dighe sahib… you (Shinde) were the second-in-command minister and were close to Matoshree (Thackeray residence). Then why didn’t you raise your complaints? Dighe sahib would not have liked it (Eknath Shinde breaking up the party). Both Balasaheb and Dighe Saheb always stood for the organization. In a family, members may fight, but that doesn’t mean they leave their home and go away,” Kedar Dighe told News18.com
Meanwhile, Shinde camp leaders said they were confident of winning the election under the chief minister’s leadership.
“Why are all the elected representatives (in Thane) with Shinde sahib? Because they know that if we are with them, then only we are going to be chosen. Had he been apprehensive, he would have stayed there (along with Uddhav). Why would a corporator or MLA risk his political career (by switching sides)? It is because of the confidence (in Shinde being elected),” former Thane Mayor Naresh Mhaske told News18.com
Experts say that the local body elections on Shinde’s home ground will be a tough contest between the two camps.
“It (elections in Thane) is not a life and death situation for Uddhav Thackeray, as it is for Eknath Shinde. If Shinde loses, his political career ends. Shinde will use every resource he has (to win municipal elections); It is not that Uddhav will not use, but it will be a real bitter fight till the end,” said Anand.
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