Mumbai: Former Shirdi MP Bhausaheb Wakchaure joins Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena

Pic/Twitter@ShivSenaUBT_

Former Shiv Sena (undivided) MP Bhausaheb Wakchaure on Wednesday joined the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the party, reported news agency PTI.

According to PTI, Wakchaure won the Lok Sabha elections in 2009 on Shiv Sena ticket from Shirdi constituency in Ahmednagar district. He joined Congress in 2014 but lost to Sadashiv Lokhande of Shiv Sena.

In 2019, Wakchaure failed to save his deposit as he contested as an Independent candidate.

On Wednesday, he joined the Shiv Sena (UBT) at 'Matoshree', the residence of Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai.

Sources told PTI Wakchaure is eyeing a ticket for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

His entry into the Shiv Sena (UBT) camp comes against the backdrop of a vertical split in Shiv Sena (Undivided) last year and at least 13 MPs joining the Eknath Shinde-led camp, reported PTI.

In the 2019 elections, Shiv Sena won 18 seats in Maharashtra which sends 48 members to Lok Sabha.

On August 6, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had said that the name of our country is India, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels to foreign countries to represent the same.

Reacting to the remarks made by PM Modi over the naming of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance, Uddhav Thackeray said, "I.N.D.I.A meeting will be held in Mumbai soon. PM Modi said that even 'Indian Mujahideen' uses India. India is our country's name, on which you (PM Modi) travel.When you travel to America and hug Joe Biden at that time, do you represent India or do you say I am from the Indian Mujahideen? India, Hindustan, and Bharat are our country's names."

Uddhav Thackeray further stated that the BJP follows Hindutva for vote bank politics, and that is why he went out of their alliance.

"I left BJP alliance because they are doing fake Hindutva. They are only pretending that they follow Hindutva, but they only follow Hindutva for votes. I can't pretend to fake Hindutva," he said.

He further claimed that Central agencies such as the ED, CBI, and Income Tax are used to destroy those parties that are in opposition to the BJP.

"Today, this BJP daggers us. They are sending their army (ED, CBI, and Income Tax) and saying, Come with us, and if you don't, then we will put you behind bars. They destroyed Shivsena, NCP, and now I am hearing that they are trying to destroy Congress too. ED, CBI, and Income tax are strong only under the NDA," he said.

Uddhav Thackeray also mentioned that he has no personal hatred for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"I don't have any personal hatred for Narendra Modi. In my heart, I call him Narendra Bhai Modi, but not from outside because they dagger me from behind," he added.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)