Maharashtra: Shiv Sena joins hands with Sambhaji Brigade

Sambhaji Brigade President Manoj Akhare with Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena has joined hands with the hard core regional organisation Sambhaji Brigade in what the former CM says, is ‘a union of ideology'. The hardcore regional organisation is known for vandalising Pune's Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, over alleged objectionable content about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in a book authored by American writer James Laine, and intimidating personalities it had accused of misrepresenting historical accounts.

The political union came into being with Thackeray and Sambhaji Brigade office-bearers making an official announcement in Mumbai on Friday. Though the Sena had opposed the Brigade regarding its acts, Thackeray said that the two would work on the differences and a common minimum programme that would save the Constitution and stop ‘cultural terrorism'. What has brought them together is a common political enemy - the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Uddhav Thackeray. File pic/Nimesh Dave

Started as a social organisation three decades ago, Sambhaji Brigade split some six years ago over differences of opinion on floating a political party. One faction chose politics. The other continued with social service though its leaders have been part of major political parties.

Initially seen as a Maratha-dominated organisation for youth, office-bearers claim that Sambhaji Brigade has received acceptance from other social groups as well, because it believes in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj (the unit is named after him), Mahatma Phule, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Dr B R Ambedkar and Thackeray's grandfather Prabodhankar Thackeray. It claims to have reached every nook and corner of the state where the Sena has its workers as well.

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Welcoming Sambhaji Brigade, Thackeray said he was happy because the party had joined him though he was not in power. "Marathi people are cursed by division. We will bury the curse together," he said. "The Sambhaji Brigade is straightforward and I like it. We will be in power again. This is a union of ideology. Whatever has happened in Maharashtra isn't the state's identity. They say this is Shivaji Maharaj's Maharashtra, but they don't follow it," he added.

"The Sambhaji Brigade has been convinced by our Hindutva. It is important to consider our unity of thoughts. The differences can be dealt with by coordination. We, despite being Hindutva believers, made a government with a secular party like the Congress, and that government could have run for five years (despite some differences)."

Sambhaji Brigade's chief Manoj Akhare said his party has had a good political equation in association with the Sena. "Sambhaji Brigade has been working to change the system in the past 30 years. But to bring that change, one needs to be in power which is the most important. We will fight all forthcoming polls together. The country needs a revolution because democracy and the constitution are in grave danger. The country has an atmosphere of inequality," he said.

The Brigade will be a stakeholder in seat sharing with the Maha Vikas Aghadi, if it continues in pre-poll scenario, as the Sena's ally.

Reacting to the alliance, the Shinde Sena said it has hurt the common Sainiks (Sena workers) because the Sambhaji Brigade was a casteist outfit that does not gel with Prabodhankar and Balasaheb Thackeray's philosophy of casteless politics. "Everyone knows that the Brigade is NCP's Team B and under whose directions it has done so," said the faction's spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre.