Ready to facilitate rapprochement between two Senas, but hearts must meet first: Sena Min. Shirsat
Mumbai, Feb 1 (PTI): Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat on Saturday said he was ready to facilitate reconciliation between his party and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) but “hearts must first”.
In an interview with a Marathi channel, Shirsat said he is pained by the split in the Bal Thackeray-founded Shiv Sena, which is now headed by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Shirsat, who is also the Shiv Sena spokesperson, said even today he and many of his party colleagues share cordial ties with the Sena (UBT) leaders.
Asked if he was ready to facilitate any efforts towards rapprochement if he gets an opportunity, Shirsat said, “I will do it, but hearts need to meet first.”
The leaders of the two parties still meet each other warmly, he said.
“But the distance has become such that if it’s not bridged now, it will be difficult to mend ties later,” Shirsat said.
When asked whether Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray was in a position to facilitate a patch-up, Shirsat said the youth leader, who is in his 30s, was not in a position to do so because of his age.
“We can forgive each other’s mistakes. If you think you can come together by insulting each other then that's not possible,” Shirsat said referring to attacks by the leaders of Shiv Sena UBT.
The original Shiv Sena, then under Uddhav Thackeray, split in June 2022 after Shinde led a rebellion in the party, walked away with his supporters and aligned with the BJP to become Maharashtra CM. Subsequently, he got the party name and its ‘bow and arrow’ symbol.
Since the division, the two Sena factions have relentlessly attacked each other.
In the assembly elections last year, the Shinde Sena, a partner in the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, won 57 of the state’s 288 seats. By contrast, the Sena (UBT), which has aligned with the Congress and NCP (SP) under the Maha Vikas Aghadi, bagged only 20. Altogether, Mahayuti won 230 seats, while MVA got just 46.
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Missing 19-year-old boy found in Udupi, returns to Bantwal under police security
Bantwal: Much to the relief of his family members, the 19-year-old boy Diganth, who had gone missing from Farangipet recently, was found in Udupi on Saturday, with Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police Yatheesh N stating that Diganth is being brought to Bantwal under police security.
The boy, who is a resident of Kidebettu near Farangipet and a 2nd PUC student, had reportedly left home on February 25 saying he would be visiting a temple but had neither gone to the temple nor returned home. In addition, his mobile phone and blood-stained footwear were seen on the railway track near his house, increasing the family’s worry.
The SP said that had about 150 police personnel from across Dakshina Kannada had been searching for the missing boy for 10 days. The police were joined by the staff of the fire brigade and the team had also used the dog squad and drones to look for Diganth.
