Maharashtra CM Shinde forms new Shiv Sena national executive, retains Uddhav as party president

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday appointed himself as the Shiv Sena’s chief leader, or’mukhya neta,’ and announced a new national executive of the party, which includes the rebels. Uddhav Thackeray, on the other hand, remains Shiv Sena President under Shinde’s new national executive.

In the meeting, 14 MLAs, who extended their support to Uddhav Thackeray during Eknath Shinde’s rebellion against the Sena leadership, also adopted resolutions for the appointment of executive members of the party.

The Shinde faction claimed that the old executive, which featured Aaditya Thackeray, Sanjay Raut and Subhash Desai among other leaders and whose names have been left out by the Shinde group-stood dissolved.

Senior legislator Deepak Kesarkar has been appointed as the spokesperson while veteran Shiv Sena leaders Ramdas Kadam and Anandrao Adbul as Shiv Sena leaders. Incidentally, both were expelled by the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena for anti-party activities. After the duo’s expulsion, Shinde rewarded Kadam and Adsul by appointing them Leaders of the next executive.

Apart from this, Yashwant Jadhav (who is facing a probe by Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate), former ministers Gulabrao Patil, Uday Samant, Tanaji Sawant, former MP Shivajirao Adhalrao, former bureaucrat Vijay Nahata and noted Marathi actor Sharad Ponkshe as deputy leaders.

A Shinde faction leader said the group may move the Election Commission on Tuesday with resolutions passed by the “new national executive”to claim it is the real Shiv Sena.