Maharashtra: A second Sena Bhavan rises in Sambhajinagar

Shiv Sena’s headquarters, Sena Bhavan, at Dadar. Pic/Ashish Raje

The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) will soon inaugurate its second Sena Bhavan - at Aurangpura in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, formerly known as Aurangabad. Its rival faction, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, however, said the new headquarters would not revive the party's fortunes in the region.

The sprawling five-storey structure has been built on the lines of the Shiv Sena's iconic Dadar building. It is likely to be inaugurated any time in the next two months, between or during Navratri and Diwali.

The Sena Bhavan at Aurangpura in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Chandrakant Khaire, the former Sena (UBT) MP from the region, confirmed the development. The veteran Sena leader mentioned that the plan to set up a Sena Bhavan in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar was discussed in 2000 with the late party founder Bal Thackeray.

‘Balasaheb had approved plan'

He added, "Balasaheb had given the go-ahead to the plan and instructed us to get in touch with renowned architect Shashi Prabhu."

Khaire stated that after receiving approval from Matoshree, the process to identify land was done and, accordingly, a five-storey structure was built. "The building was completed around 10 years back. But, there were some technical issues related to approvals and permissions that took time to get resolved. However, now all issues have been sorted and the structure is ready for use," the former Sena MP added.

Shiv Sena party workers pass Sena Bhavan while heading to Shivaji Park for the party's annual Dussehra rally on October 5, 2022. Pic/Ashish Raje

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has been a Shiv Sena bastion for decades and the then-united party emerged victorious in the district in the 2019 Assembly elections with six of its MLAs coming to power. However, after the 2022 split in the party, following Shinde's rebellion, five MLAs shifted loyalties towards the CM's camp and only one remained with Thackeray.

MLA Sanjay Shirshat, who belongs to the Shinde faction, told mid-day, "It [the new headquarters] is a leased property. We are not staking a claim on any of the Sena Bhavans."

Asked whether the opening of a second Sena Bhavan would make any difference in the region or whether it would allow the Thackeray camp to spread its wings and regain control of the region, Shirshat said, "It hardly matters for them."

In 2022, after Shinde raised the banner of rebellion, Thackeray, the then-chief minister, made an emotional appeal to party leaders to prevent a split in the organisation. However, Shinde, in return, exhibited a letter written by Shirshat, who mentioned that the party chief was inaccessible to MLAs and leaders.

‘Doesn't make a difference'

Reiterating this, Shirshat said, "One reason for the split in Shiv Sena was Thackeray cutting off access to party leaders and MLAs. Even now all meetings are conducted at Matoshree. The Thackeray clan and Sena (UBT) leaders hardly visit Sena Bhavan in Dadar. For any party to grow, leaders need to be accessible and available at the party office. But, that's not happening. Hence, opening another headquarters will not make any difference or help the camp improve its position."

New headquarters

The plot on which the second party headquarters has been constructed belongs to the Shivai Seva Trust. The Shiv Sena was born in 1966 and its first headquarters was built in the heart of Mumbai in 1974. The Dadar office is owned by the Shivai Seva Trust. Senior Sena (UBT) leaders Subhash Desai and Leeladhar Dake are trustees of the organisation.

According to Sena leaders, the third floor of the building will be used for party meetings while the fourth will house offices of party leaders.

Initially after the split in the united Shiv Sena in June last year, there was buzz in the corridors of power that the Eknath Shinde-led faction, after being granted the original party name and bow-and-arrow symbol, would stake a claim on Sena Bhavan too. However, these reports were discarded by a section of the Shinde camp on the grounds that there were no such plans or intentions.

1966
Year Shiv Sena was founded