Sena’s Sawarbandhe joins NCP

 

 

 

Shiv Sena leader and former Deputy Mayor Shekhar Sawarbandhe joined Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday in presence of senior NCP leader and MP Praful Patel. After NCP gave the charge of city President to Duneshwar Pethe, the exodus from other parties to NCP has begun, mostly from its ally Shiv Sena. Sawarbandhe, a former Deputy Mayor, joined NCP in presence of senior NCP leader Praful Patel. According to insiders, after the recent reshuffle of Nagpur unit of Shiv Sena, the resentment in the party circle had started. Sawarbandhe had earlier also submitted his resignation but that matter was somehow sorted out by the party leadership. In the reshuffle, according to Sawarbandhe, he was given the responsibility which made him feel offended.

 

Sawarbandhe was with Shiv Sena for the last 20 years and handled various responsibilities and the recent position given by party was much lower, Sawarbandhe felt. Ravinish Pande alias Chintu Maharaj, who was the first to join NCP, established connect with Sawarbandhe. Duneshwar Pethe took a lead and Sawarbandhe agreed to join the party. On Sunday, Praful Patel personally went to the residence of Sawarbandhe at Nandanvan and welcomed him into the party fold. Apart from MP Praful Patel, Rajendra Jain, former MLA Dinanath Padole, Pravin Kunte Patil, Ishwar Balbudhe, Ved Prakash Arya, Anil Ahirkar, City President Duneshwar Pethe, Dilip Pankule, Shailendra Tiwari, Ravi Parate, Vice President Ravinish Pandey were present.

 

Earlier, Savarbandhe sent his resignation of primary membership of Shiv Sena to Uddhav Thackeray by mail in the morning. Reacting to the decision, Savarbandhe said, "I have no complaints against anyone. But I do not understand the working method of the party organization which has been going on for the last few days. It is difficult to do justice to old and honest workers in such a situation, so I decided to step aside. " Many former office bearers of Shiv Sena were present at this time who did not join NCP along with Sawarbandhe but it is said that they too would join.