Man obstructs CM Shinde’s convoy, calls him traitor; feted by Uddhav Thackeray
Mumbai, Nov 13: The video of a man trying to obstruct Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde’s convoy and calling him ‘gaddar’ (traitor) for splitting the Shiv Sena and siding with BJP for power, has gone viral in social media, creating buzz in political circles, a week before the assembly elections.
The video is from Mumbai’s Sakinaka area, where the young man, Santosh Katke, sought to disrupt Shinde's convoy by waving black flags and called Shinde “gaddar”, prompting Shinde to halt his convoy and step out.
The incident, which took place outside Congress candidate and former minister Naseem Khan's office, was captured on video.
Shinde rushed into Khan’s office, questioning party workers about the incident and asked whether they condoned such behaviour.
Katke was detained by security personnel and handed over to the police, who let him go after a while, an official said.
On Tuesday, Katke and his father joined the Shiv Sena (UBT) at Matoshree and were felicitated by Uddhav Thackeray.
Santosh Katke told reporters that his pent up anger exploded on seeing Shinde, prompting him to utter those words.
In June last year, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) workers observed "gaddar din" (traitor's day) to mark the first anniversary of the rebellion by Shinde and other Shiv Sena legislators.
The rebellion in June 2022 led by Eknath Shinde culminated in the collapse of the then Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, comprising the united Sena and NCP and the Congress.
In May this year, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi’s ‘Mera Baap Gaddar Hai’ remark targeting Shinde and his MP son Shrikant ignited a row.
“Who are you Eknath Shinde? What are you? You are nothing but a ‘gaddar’ (traitor),” Chaturvedi had said, referring to the split in the undivided Shiv Sena in June 2022.
Chaturvedi had continued, “Whatever you do, you cannot escape the ‘gaddar’ taint. It will haunt even your family, as in the film ‘Deewar’.”
With just a week left before Maharashtra goes to polls, a man obstructed chief minister Eknath Shinde's convoy and called him gaddar (traitor) for splitting the Shiv Sena and siding with the BJP for power.
— The Siasat Daily (@TheSiasatDaily) November 13, 2024
A visibly angry Shinde got out of his car and went straight to the… pic.twitter.com/jWFtlpumcP
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Mumbai: The Maharashtra Assembly elections have witnessed a fierce battle for power, with the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance aiming to retain its position and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition striving for resurgence. As counting begins today, 23rd November 2024, 4,140 candidates are in contention for 288 seats. Among these, 234 are general-category seats, while 29 are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 25 for Scheduled Tribes. Here are five constituencies to watch closely:
1. Worli:
Milind Deora (Shiv Sena - Shinde faction), Aaditya Thackeray (Shiv Sena UBT), and Sandeep Deshpande (MNS) are contesting. Aaditya Thackeray, the incumbent, is known for his hands-on approach during the pandemic. Milind Deora, a former minister, appeals to urban voters, while Deshpande focuses on infrastructure and housing issues.
2. Baramati:
Ajit Pawar (NCP) and Yugendra Pawar (NCP - Sharad Pawar faction) are in the fray. Ajit Pawar has held this seat since 1991, while Yugendra Pawar, mentored by Sharad Pawar, is making his debut in this traditional stronghold.
3. Vandre East:
Zeeshan Siddique (NCP) and Varun Sardesai (Shiv Sena UBT) are the key contenders. Siddique is popular among young voters and the Muslim community, while Sardesai has strong ties to Shiv Sena's traditional base.
4. Nagpur South West:
Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Praful Gudadhe (Congress) are contesting. Fadnavis seeks his fourth consecutive term, leveraging his development initiatives, while Gudadhe may attract voters dissatisfied with urban infrastructure and public services.
5. Kopri-Pachpakhadi:
Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena) and Kedar Dighe (Shiv Sena UBT) are in a tough contest. Shinde, the current chief minister, highlights his mentor Anand Dighe’s legacy, while Dighe’s nephew, Kedar, challenges him in this Thane constituency.
The election campaign saw prominent leaders, including PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, actively canvassing across the state.
