Mumbai: Sena factions clash over party office at BMC headquarters

Police officers had to step in to disperse the clashing leaders and crowd

The two Shiv Sena factions clashed at the party office located at the BMC headquarters on Wednesday. Leaders from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction arrived at the office in the evening, followed soon by former corporators from the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction. A slogan war ensued between the two groups and police had to step in to evict both groups, disperse the crowd and close the office.

The clash came on the heels of the Thackeray Sena losing the party office on the premises of Vidhan Bhavan in Nagpur. Following the loss in Nagpur, former minister and Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray asked former corporators to visit the party office at BMC headquarters every day. mid-day had reported this on Monday. Following the minister's instructions, Thackeray Sena leaders had started visiting the office.

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On Wednesday, however, Shinde faction MP Rahul Shewale, Thane Mayor Naresh Mhaske, BMC Standing Committee Chairman Yashwant Jadhav, former corporator Shital Mhatre and another party worker arrived at the office. Shewale said, "We are Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena. We do not need to stake a claim, this is our party office." He added, "We will regularly visit the office for which Yashwant Jadhav put his efforts."

Soon after this, the Thackeray faction leader Pandurang Sakpal, former corporator Ashish Chemburkar, Ganesh Sanap, Ramakant Rahate, and other party workers also arrived at the spot. "We visit the party office daily. They came when nobody was present," said Sakpal, adding, "This party office belongs to us. The Shinde faction does not have the support of former corporators. We will come here tomorrow as well."