PWP leader D B Patil joins Shiv Sena

Thackeray not only admitted Patil in the party, but also declared that the peasants leader will be Shiv Sena’s official nominee for the Raigad (Colaba) parliamentary constituency replacing Vilas Naik, whose name was earlier declared by the party.

“The entry of D B Patil in the Shiv Sena will boost the organisation in the Raigad-Panvel belt. His experience as a veteran parliamentarian and also his efforts for the cause of the project affected persons will help the Shiv Sena,” said Sena leader Subhash Desai.

Patil was one of the staunch critics of the Shiv Sena. Whether on the floor of the House or any platform, Patil did not miss any opportunity to blast Sena as communal. A few months ago, he hadcame down heavily on his colleagues for their alleged nexus with the Shiv Sena in the Panvel-Alibag belt.

The former PWP leader was elected to the Lok Sabha twice from Colaba and for four consecutive terms to the legislative assembly from the Panvel constituency. In fact, for last few months, he was in search of an alternative to the PWP and was planning to join Nationalist Congress Party or the Congress headed by Sonia Gandhi.

According to a senior Congress leader, after A R Antulay decided to shift to Aurangabad, the former chief minister had assured Patil that the latter was keen he will ensure a nomination by the Congress for the Colaba seat. At the same time Sena too was trying to rope in D B Patil in view of his influence on PWP sympathisers.

Despite its best efforts, Shiv Sena was unable to make its presence felt in the Raigad area. In the 1996 elections, former Thane mayor and Shiv Sena nominee Anant Tare lost to Antulay in the subsequent elections. Tare was badly mauled by PWP nominee RamshethThakur.

Patil is the second prominent politician to join the Shiv Sena in the recent past. Three months ago, former Congress MP and leader of the separate movement for Vidarbha, Jambuwantrao Dhote had joined the Shiv Sena.