Maharashtra: Gajanan Kirtikar with Shinde, son continues with Uddhav

Amol Kirtikar, Thackeray Sena; (right) Gajanan Kirtikar is also the president of Sthaniya Lokadhikar Samiti. File pic

Member of Parliament Gajanan Kirtikar's move to the Shinde Sena on Friday has split the Kirtikar family too, as his son remains loyal to the Uddhav Sena.

The senior Kirtikar is also president of the Sthaniya Lokadhikar Samiti. It works to secure 80 per cent of jobs in government sectors for locals. It has been working with around 30,000 members who are government employees and officers.

Although Chief Minister Eknath Shinde received support from 40 MLAs, 12 MPs and other public representatives, he could not get support from trade unions which are the backbone of the Thackeray-led party. As Kirtikar has earlier worked for a long time for the Bharaitya Kamgar Sena, it is expected that due to his shift, Shinde has not only got the support of another MP, but could also get that of this trade union.

Also read: Mumbai: Sena leader and MP Gajanan Kirtikar joins Eknath Shinde's camp

Thackeray's party members tried to downplay Kirtikar's move. "The Lokadhikar Samiti is a movement which fights for jobs for the Marathi manoos. Gajanan Kirtikar's entry into the Shinde Sena will not have any effect on our trade union," said Thackeray Sena's MP Arvind Sawant.

"Thackeray's party should think about why a senior leader like Gajanan Kirtikar left it. Kirtikar has worked for a long time for the Sthaniya Lokadhikar Samiti. There are many office-bearers and karyakarte who believe in him and trust him," said Shital Mhatre, spokesperson of Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena.

Gajanan Kirtikar's son Amol continues to support Uddhav Thackeray. Talking to the media, Amol said, "I am with Thackeray. Whatever he did was my father's decision. But I am with Uddhav and Aaditya Thackeray. Our family and politics are two different things. This will not affect our family."

After the split in the party, Thackeray has appointed Amol as deputy leader.