Sena (UBT) MLC Manisha Kayande set to join Shinde-led Sena today

Kayande, who is considered to be one of the firebrand woman leaders of Sena UBT, will probably join the rival group along with a couple of former Sena UBT BMC corporators.

Kayande is set to become the second MLC of the Sena UBT to join the Shinde-led Sena. (Manisha Kayande/Twitter)

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In another setback to Shiv Sena (UBT), party spokesperson and MLC (Member of Legislative Council) Manisha Kayande is likely to join Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena Sunday.

Kayande, who is considered to be one of the firebrand woman leaders of Sena UBT, will probably join the rival group along with a couple of former Sena UBT BMC corporators.

The development comes a day ahead of the party’s 57th Foundation Day.

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According to sources, Kayande has been unreachable since Sunday morning and is said to have informed the party leadership about her decision to leave the organisation. A source said that Kayande also did not attend the party’s day-long mega plenary held in Worli Sunday.

“It is true that Kayande-ji will join our party tonight (Sunday). She will join the party in the presence of CM Shinde at Varsha bungalow. For us, Sunday and Monday are very important days. More people from the Uddhav Thackeray-led group will join us. Many MLAs, corporators, and office bearers want to join the Shiv Sena. Some of them will join within two days and others in the coming week,” Sena MLA and spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat said.

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Kayande is set to become the second MLC of the Sena UBT to join the Shinde-led Sena. Earlier, in February, Sena UBT MLC Viplove Bajoria had joined the Shiv Sena.

Kayande, who was a teacher, had started her political career with the BJP and contested the Mumbai civic election in 1997. However, she lost her maiden poll battle.

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Later, in 2009, she contested the assembly election from the Sion Koliwada constituency in Mumbai but lost that too. Kayande joined the Shiv Sena (then undivided) in 2012 and was appointed as a party spokesperson in 2014. In 2017, she became an MLC.

Despite the setback ahead of the Foundation Day of the party, Sena UBT chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut downplayed the defection of Kayande. “We do not consider it as a loss or setback. The leader in question was never in the Sena. She had come from outside. Such people join a party for their selfish needs. We agree that we failed to recognise such selfish people. Such mistakes have happened in our party for many years. But such a mistake will not take place in the future. I have discussed it with Uddhav-ji and he has also agreed to it. Whatever we (Sena UBT) are facing for the past one year is because of such people.” Raut told media persons.

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