Sena MP Shrirang Barne joins Shinde fold, says he is part of separate group of 12 MPs

Barne is a two-time Shiv Sena MP from Maval constituency in Pune district. He had won by a huge margin of around two lakh votes on both occasions. However, with NCP leader Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar eyeing the Maval seat, Barne had sensed that he would not be fielded in the next polls.

“The NCP, Shiv Sena and the Congress are likely to contest the next elections under the banner of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The NCP has been insisting that Parth be fielded from the Maval seat. As a result, Barne was worried about being ousted from the seat. Even otherwise, he has a good rapport with Eknath Shinde and has therefore gone his way,” said a close aide of Barne.

Barne told The Indian Express that Rahul Shewale, their leader, will hold a press conference on Tuesday afternoon after which everything will become clear. “You will come to know who is on which side in the afternoon. Wait for the press conference,” he said.

Meanwhile, reacting to the development, Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, “Shiv Sena’s strength will not deplete even if some of them decide to stab us in the back. We will fight back.”

Raut said that the BJP was attempting to break Maharashtra into three parts. “Before that, the BJP is trying to finish off the Shiv Sena. It has already taken away our MLAs and is now snatching away our MPs. All this is being done to end the existence of the Shiv Sena and thereby split Maharashtra into three parts. The real Shiv Sena will not allow this to happen. We will rise again and blow the BJP away,” he said.