Mumbai: Visitor tests COVID-19 positive, Sena Bhavan shut

The party worker, who has tested positive, functions from the third floor of the party office in Dadar. Pic/Shadab Khan

Three days after the party's Foundation Day celebrations at Shiv Sena Bhavan, it had to be shut down on Monday as a party worker has tested positive for COVID-19. The worker is not an office bearer or staffer of Sena Bhavan. However, party functionaries are of the opinion that the premises are closed for sanitisation and disinfection work, and there is nothing to be worried about.

According to sources, the person who has tested positive was a close confidante of a Rajya Sabha MP of the party. Though the worker was not a staffer of Shiv Sena Bhavan, he used to visit the headquarters almost daily and function from the third floor of the party office in Dadar. After the party decided to shut down the headquarters for the next couple of days, the message was conveyed to a section of the party leaders and other employees working at the office.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior party leader said, "The party headquarters will be closed for the next couple of days. The office will start operating once the sanitisation and disinfection process is complete." The Sena leader further clarified that the decision to shut the office was taken as a precautionary measure and there was nothing to worry about.

Senior party leaders celebrated Sena's Foundation Day last week

Last Friday (June 19), party president and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, his son and state environment minister Aaditya Thackeray along with a few other senior party leaders and functionaries were present at the headquarters to mark Sena's 54th Foundation Day. Despite this being the first Foundation Day after Thackeray becoming the CM, the celebrations were a low-key affair in view of the COVID-19 situation. However, sources said that the worker, who has tested positive, was not seen at the headquarters on the day of celebrations.

While many Sena leaders declined to speak on the issue, a party functionary, who looks into the functioning of Shiv Sena Bhavan, said, "The party headquarters is not being shut down as such. Sena Bhavan is being sanitised the way other institutes and big buildings are done. Just to complete the procedure the headquarters is being closed." The functionary further stated that the measures that were being taken were preventive steps and that there was nothing to worry about. "One should not read more into this development," he added.

June 19
Day the party's Foundation Day was celebrated at Sena Bhavan

Raj Thackeray's drivers test positive

According to a buzz in the MNS circles, party chief Raj Thackeray's two drivers have tested positive for COVID-19. One of them has been admitted to a hospital in suburban Mumbai, while details of the other one are not yet known. An MNS functionary confirmed the development, but declined to comment on the issue.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news