Saffron divided into shades as Shiv Sena leaders lock horns

Mumbai: Internal disparity in the Shiv Sena has started to surface after a complaint against three Shiv Sena corporators was registered by Mr. Hemant Patil, a BMC official, with the MHB colony police station over violation of the election code of conduct. This appears to be a case of rivalry within the Shiv Sena as the original complaint was made earlier last week to BMC’s ward office, by Sena corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar.

The police complaint reads that Sena corporators Shubha Raul, Sheetal Mhatre and nominated councillor from Sena Avkash Jadhav inaugurated a garden at the LIC colony after the election code of conduct had been activated. By doing so, these corporators violated the code of conduct.

The Asian Age tried to contact Shubha Raul, Sheetal Mhatre and Mr Jadhav, but they were unavailable for comment. Meanwhile, the original complainant, Sena corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar said, “I first found out about the three corporators violating the code of conduct when I saw photographs of them inaugurating a garden, after the election code of conduct. I complained to the ward officer who told me action would be taken after due investigation.”

According to Mr Ghosalkar, BMC investigated his complaint and found the allegations to be true, thus it went ahead with a formal complaint to the police. When asked why, he complained against his own party members, Mr Ghosalkar said, “I complained against violators of the law, and I believe that law is higher than these things, such as party kin. The three corporators do not fall outside the law, but by inaugurating a garden during the election code of conduct they have proved they believe so. It has nothing to do with politics.”