Loyalists throng Aaditya rallies, say Shiv Sainiks still with Thackerays

The Yatra, which kicked off from Thane, culminated at Shirdi in the Ahmednagar district on Saturday.

With shouts of support renting the air, the Thackeray scion, through his speech, seemed to reinforce his connect with the workers as they listened to him quietly, laughing and clapping as he took swipes at the rebels and responding to the questions he threw at them.

Apart from party workers, common people, too, seemed to be sympathetic towards Aaditya’s cause as he traversed from one city to another as a part of the Yatra.

Most of the party workers with whom this correspondent spoke at the rallies in Thane and Nashik were of the opinion that only a handful of MLAs and MPs leaving would not finish the party but the Shiv Sena will bounce back soon with renewed force in the upcoming civic elections.

Those who rebelled will never be able to enter the state Assembly building again, they added.

Ramnath Bodke from Nashik’s Trimbakeshwar, who is associated with Yuva Sena that Aaditya heads, said, “The grassroots workers of the party are loyal to the Thackeray family and their support is intact. The rebellion was orchestrated by a few MLAs who got elected because of the party and ground work put in by Shiv Sainiks to ensure their victory. The Shiv Sainiks are still there and will always be.”

Nitin Bhagvat, the Yuva Sena Taluka Pramukh from Nashik, said the Shiv Sainiks are angry with the rebels and have pledged to work harder to bring the party back to power. “The party workers are angry. The rebellion has led to discontent among them and we will be working with renewed energy and focus to ensure that the party comes to power again,” he said.

Raju Borde, another Shiv Sainik who attended the rally at Shahapur in Thane, said the workers have sympathy for the Thackerays and will stand with the party.

Amol Ushir, a Shiv Sena worker from Chandwad, said, “Every Shiv Sainik follows the teachings of Balasaheb Thackeray and can never betray the party. Those who have left the party will have a difficult road ahead. The party doesn’t have to worry as the support of the Shiv Sainiks remains intact. However, the rebels need to worry as they will not have the support of the Shiv Sainiks in the next elections.”

While many workers agreed that the party was going through a difficult time, with several top leaders leaving, they said the crisis is also an opportunity for the real Shiv Sainik to work for the growth of the party and be entrusted with big responsibilities which they would not have had earlier.

“The people and Shiv Sainiks don’t like traitors. We are the Shiv Sainiks of Balasaheb Thackeray and we don’t forgive traitors. We will bounce back. It’s good that the rebels have left the party as new leaders and loyal Shiv Sainiks will get an opportunity to rebuild the party,” said Navnath Gaidhani from Palase village, who came to attend a rally in Nashik on Thursday.