‘BJP is slow-poisoning us’: Shinde Sena leader Abdul Sattar hints at merger with Uddhav faction

The BJP has been asserting claims to seats historically held by the Shiv Sena. Alleging that the BJP quickly forgot the political compromises made to form the government, Sattar said, “Goddess Kamakhya in Guwahati knows our sacrifices, but the BJP has forgotten them. Instead, they are actively trying to create rifts within our party.”

Sattar, who was the only Muslim face in the previous Shinde-BJP government, lamented that while BJP leaders are growing more powerful, the Shiv Sena is being structurally weakened. “The Shiv Sena used to rule the zilla parishad and the municipal corporation. Now, we are completely out of power there,” he said.

Describing the BJP’s strategy as “slow-poisoning,” Sattar said, “We left our former leader (Uddhav Thackeray) to come here and join hands with this old friend, the BJP. But we are facing the exact same situation again. Even though we are in power, we are effectively being shown the door. The local BJP leaders are behaving in an unacceptable manner.”

Sattar stated that he intends to take this grievance directly to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. “Except for Paithan and Sillod, all our constituencies surrounding the city are being wiped out,” he claimed.

Highlighting that the BJP behaves like a “big brother,” Sattar said, “They are trying to finish us off by splitting the Shiv Sena in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. They are backing one internal faction against the other.”

“In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee and the BJP were once allies. But later their relations soured, and now they are at each other’s throats. Leaders like me will have to remain alert so that the situation in Maharashtra does not turn into what happened in West Bengal.”

Responding to a recent statement by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve, who suggested that both Sena factions should merge into a single unit, Sattar expressed support for the idea. “I also feel that now both Shiv Sena factions should come together. If our leader, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, decides to unite the parties, there will be no need to ask anyone else. Whatever decision my leader takes, I will fully accept it.”

‘Mandatory to maintain discipline’

Reacting to Sattar’s outburst, BJP vice president Keshav Upadhaye said, “When the three parties of the Mahayuti alliance are ruling together, everyone must follow the established rules of the coalition. It is mandatory for leaders of all three parties to maintain alliance discipline.”

Meanwhile, reacting to Sameer Sattar’s decision to contest as a rebel, BJP leader Atul Save said, “The senior leadership made this decision, and the rebellion by Sattar’s son is an insult to the orders of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.”

Party sources within the Shiv Sena confirmed that following his controversial statements, Abdul Sattar has been urgently summoned to Mumbai by Eknath Shinde to explain his remarks.