Angered by BJP’s poaching spree, Sena ministers boycott Cabinet meet

The ministers later had a meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, where a discussion was held on the BJP’s recent poaching spree led by its state unit chief Ravindra Chavan, particularly in Shinde’s native place of Thane district.

According to sources within the BJP, the CM pointed out that it was the Sena which started poaching leaders of the BJP in Ulhasnagar. “He told them that since Sena had done the same, they should not complain about it to others,” a BJP leader said.

While a Sena Minister countered it, the CM told them that he will talk to Chavan to stop further poaching. “It has now been decided that we will not enroll leaders of allies. He has also told us that he will speak to Ravindra Chavan regarding the same,” the minister said.

Sources said that the Sena wanted to send a message to its BJP ally that it did not approve of the latter weaning away Sena workers and leaders. “Candidates who fought against us have been inducted into the BJP, which is not as per the alliance dharma. We are not even being told about such moves, despite being in the alliance,” another Minister said.

Shinde’s home turf of Thane district has been facing several political shifts, with leaders from the Sena joining the BJP. Apart from Thane, the Sena led by Shinde and BJP have locked horns at several other places in the state.

In Satara district’s Patan, Sena minister Shambhuraj Desai is facing a challenge from Satyajit Patankar, who switched to BJP from NCP(SP). In Nashik, BJP inducted Advay Hire from Shiv Sena (UBT), who could be a challenger for minister Dada Bhuse. In Jalgaon, Vaishali Suryavanshi joined the BJP and is challenging Sena’s Kishor Patil.