Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024 | Last Update : 08:11 PM IST
Former NCP MP follows her son, joins Shiv Sena
Nivedita Mane’s move was expected as she had already resigned from the NCP last month.
Mumbai: Nivedita Mane, one of the Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) senior leaders from Western Maharashtra and former MP, formally joined the Shiv Sena on Saturday. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray tied a Shiv Bandhan to Ms Mane in a ceremony at his residence Matoshree in Bandra.
Speaking on this occasion, Mr Thackeray said, “The Shiv Sainiks in Kolhapur have now got a Tai (an elder sister). The trend of people from other parties joining Sena will now spread to the entire state and unfurl the saffron flag everywhere.”
Ms Mane’s move was expected as she had already resigned from the NCP last month and her son Dhairyashil joined the Sena.
Dhairyashil Mane, who is likely to contest from the Sena against Swabhimani Shetakari Sanghatana chief Raju Shetti in Hatkanangale constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, had joined Sena on November 28.
The Mane family had decided to end their ties with NCP after the Sharad Pawar’s party decided to ally with Mr Shetti, the sitting member of Parliament from Hatkanangale.
Mr Shetti had recently broken ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and announced willingness to ally with the NCP-Congress combine. The Mane faction of the NCP claimed that the party chief Sharad Pawar has neglected them and is favouring Mr Shetti, whom they fought against for last 15 years. During his recent visit to Kolhapur, Mr Pawar had asked party members to support Mr Shetti, but he did not meet the Mane family members.
Ms Mane, who was also the daughter-in-law of former MP late Balasaheb Mane, once represented the Hatkanangale constituency. She was defeated in 2009 by Mr Shetti.
