Sena makes a new play for votes in Mumbai’s cricket league

“We have been requesting players and coaches to vote for Shiv Sena. The Kanga League has players from various parts of the city. Cricketers from as far as Nashik and Boisar play here. It’s just a personal request from us as we are all from the cricket fraternity,” said Nilesh Bhosale, coach-cum-coordinator of Wellington Cricket Club, owned by Rajat Mehta, a former schoolmate of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aditya.

Around 98 clubs play in the Kanga League across seven divisions, with around 500 cricketers on the team sheets of clubs owned by Sainiks alone. Two years ago, Uddhav Thackeray himself had bought two clubs, handing over the control of one to Aditya.

“It is my firm belief that we need to reach out to talent in various capacities for all sports,” Aditya Thackeray told The Indian Express. “Having been a cricketer, I also support football, hockey, squash and many other sports. Through the government, it has been and will be my priority to take sporting infrastructure to talented (sportspersons).”

Explaining the strategy, Bhosale said, “As we have been playing cricket for the past many years, we know most players and teams very well. The idea is to make the request personally,” Bhosale added.

Cricketers from some of these clubs are fulltime Shiv Sainiks or part of the Yuva Sena but still, this new strategy marks a generational shift in the way voters are wooed by the party.

“The boys from my team have been telling me about how some players have requested them to vote for Shiv Sena,” said Raju Pathak, coach of Rizvi Sports Club which plays in the league’s ‘F’ division. “This campaign happens mostly before the games when players are having tea at the shops around the maidans or during the lunch break. We’ve known most of them for years. Aditya also plays Kanga League in the maidans here, so he is a well-known face at these tournaments.”

“They all want the party to come to power,” claimed Bhosale. “We’ve seen how Aditya has worked here. There were no mobile toilets before but he has organised them and made sure players no longer need to walk too long to use such facilities. Players have also seen him play with them and we’re sure people will vote for the Sena after seeing the groundwork.”

The Sena is also planning to approach players of other sports for votes. “Aditya has helped many sportspersons, such as hockey player Yuvraj Walmki as well as several kabbadi players and archers. We are not going to force anyone but it will be just a humble request to back development,” Bhosale added.

“Players are being requested to vote for them,” said a cricketer from the league who did not wish to be named. “We have been playing against Aditya for the past couple of years now. He behaves like any other player in the team, and we remember him telling players that if they need any help or have some suggestions for the betterment of sport, they are always welcome. Cricketers here regard him highly.”