Maharashtra political crisis: Shiv Sena’s rebel faction gets first shakha in Mankhurd

A day after Mahim MLA Sada Sarvankar announced that the Eknath Shinde group would soon have its own headquarters - a parallel Shiv Sena Bhavan in the vicinity of Dadar's existing one - the rebel faction opened its first shakha in Mankhurd on Saturday. Rahul Shewale, rebel group leader in the Lok Sabha, inaugurated the shakha (local unit office) in Mankhurd (part of his constituency). The office had photos of the late Balasaheb Thackeray.

The proposed Dadar main office received mixed responses from the party's ministers. Minister Uday Samant dismissed the talk of a parallel Sena Bhavan as a "rumour". "What we are planning to have is a central office so that the CM [Eknath Shinde] and others can meet the public. We have high regard for the Sena Bhavan and we will continue to respect it," he said. Sarvankar had told the media on Friday about the upcoming facility in his constituency. Sources said the location could be a building near Ruby Mills, which is a couple of hundred metres from Thackeray's headquarters. Minister Gulabrao Patil didn't deny Sarvankar's claim. He said that there would be a Sena Bhavan in Thane as well.

Also read: Tug of war in Eknath Shinde government over portfolios: Sena MLC Ambadas Danve

The rebels and the Thackeray group are fighting legal cases for controlling the party. The Shinde faction has staked claim to the party's election symbol and replaced ministers affiliated with Thackeray in the Parliament and Legislature. The Supreme Court had scheduled its hearing on August 22. The Election Commission of India is also hearing the symbol case.