Before Mr Shah’s visit, BJP leader Narayan Rane had said that Mr Shah’s visit to Maharashtra would spell doom for the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
Hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Sindhudurg in Maharashtra and attacked the ruling Shiv Sena in his address, seven BJP councillors have switched sides to join Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s party.
At CM’s official residence Varsha, the councillors of the Vaibhavwadi taluka joined Shiv Sena in presence of Uddhav Thackeray. BJP councillors Ravindra Raorane, Sanjay Chavan, Santosh Pawar, Ravindra Tambe, Swapnil Iswalkar, Deepa Gajobar have joined the Shiv Sena. This development comes as a big jolt to Nitish Rane on his home turf.
Before Mr Shah’s visit, BJP leader Narayan Rane had said that Mr Shah’s visit to Maharashtra would spell doom for the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Targetting his bete-noire Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the BJP Rajya Sabha MP had said: “I pray that Amit Shah’s tour to Sindhudurg tomorrow proves to be a good omen and his feet in Maharashtra will hasten the fall of the MVA government.”
Taking a jibe at Mr Rane after BJP councillors joined Sena, Uday Samant, Guardian Minister of Sindhudurg said: “Narayan Rane had said that after Amit Shah’s visit, this govt in Maharashtra will go and now you can see, on the contrary, BJP corporators are deserting the party and joining Shiv Sena. More such BJP leaders from the region are in our touch.”
Nitesh Rane, reacting sarcastically to the development, said it is a “Valentine’s Day gift to CM and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray”. He said: “Shiv Sena is our old love and they say one doesn’t forget old love easily…We have always respected Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray. We can’t see the party built by Balasaheb deteriorate like this, hence we are sending these seven councillors to Shivsena.”
Nitesh Rane, referring to the phone call Narayan Rane made to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray regarding permissions for his medical college, said: “He helped us in approving permissions, we can’t give him anything for that, but as a token, we are giving these seven councillors”.
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