Thackeray wants aggressive Sena of 70s fame

Mumbai, May 8: Alarmed by the party's massive debacle in the Navi Mumbai as well as Aurangabad Municipal Corporation elections, Shiv Sena ...

Mumbai, May 8: Alarmed by the party8217;s massive debacle in the Navi Mumbai as well as Aurangabad Municipal Corporation elections, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray has convened a special one-day convention on Wednesday to galvanise the organisation at all levels.

A senior Sena leader said the main agenda for the one-day convention is to chalk out an action plan for galvanising the organisation at all levels. 8220;Shiv Sena is known for its aggressive approach on major issues. Whether for the cause of the sons of the soil, price rise or the Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary dispute, the Sena has always taken a firm and aggressive stand. Unfortunately, over a period of time, it has been diluted to a great extent. Thackeray wants the Shiv Sena of the early 70s and all steps will be taken to revive the original spirit,8221; the Sena leader added.

The Sena leader said in the pre-1995 period, the Sena-BJP alliance was very strong, however, in the subsequent period, for obvious political reasons, it has become weak. 8220;We were strong at all levels, but after we joined the government, a section of Sena leaders in the Cabinet did not concentrate on building up the organisation. Our administration was much better compared to the Congress-led Democratic Front Government, but we did not utilise the government for strengthening the party at the grassroot level,8221; the Sena leader pointed out.

In fact, the Sena leader said, when a meeting was convened to condole the assassination of Shiv Sena leaders last week, Thackeray had specifically warned the functionaries against growing slackness in the organisation. 8220;No doubt we are keen to form the government, but we are equally interested in making the organisation strong,8221; the Sena leader said.

In the first session of the convention, Shiv Sena leaders Udhav Thackeray, Narayan Rane and Manohar Joshi will have direct interaction with district-level functionaries, while in the second session, legislators and Members of Parliament will brief them on the activities of the party in their respective areas. In the concluding session, Bal Thackeray will address the delegates on the challenges before the party as well as the new action plan.

This will be the first convention of the party after the elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assembly as well as appointment of office-bearers and district heads of the organisation.

8220;The proposal to hold a State-level convention was pending before the party for a long time. By and large, the conventions are addressed by Thackeray, Uddhav, Rane and Manohar Joshi, but now we are planning to discuss the organisational problems. For the purpose, in the first session, there will be discussion on districts and regional problems,8221; the Sena leader said.

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The Shiv Sena leader said the party has taken very seriously its massive defeat in the Navi Mumbai and Aurangabad Corporation elections. 8220;Both the corporations were directly controlled by us and there was no presence of BJP in the civic bodies. However, now, we have completely lost the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, while BJP has wrested the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation from us,8221; the Sena leader said.