Setback for Uddhav after ex-Minister Babanrao Gholap quits

The former MLA is likely to join Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction

The depleted ranks of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) saw further attrition on Thursday after former Maharashtra Minister and ex-MLA Babanrao Gholap resigned from the primary membership of Mr. Thackeray’s faction.

Mr. Gholap, who was legislator of the Deolali constituency in Nashik for five terms between 1990 and 2014, had been disgruntled with Mr. Thackeray for some time now.

A deputy leader of the Sena (UBT), Mr. Gholap shot-off a terse one-line letter of resignation to Mr. Thackeray which he posted on X (formerly Twitter).

As per sources, both he and his son Yogesh Gholap, along with other local leaders, are expected to join Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s ruling Shiv Sena faction.

Mr. Gholap had been repeatedly raising his complaints with the party leadership but allegedly had failed to get any response.

He had earlier resigned as Deputy Leader of the Sena (UBT), but his resignation had not accepted.

The Sena (UBT) leader had met Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Mumbai a few days back.

Mr. Gholap’s disaffection with Mr. Thackeray intensified after Bhausaheb Wackchaure, the former MP from Shirdi, joined the Shiv Sena (UBT).

Sources said that Mr. Wakchaure’s entry reportedly dampened Mr. Gholap’s chances of getting the candidature for the Shirdi Lok Sabha constituency.

His son Yogesh had become MLA from the Deolali constituency in 2014 but was defeated by the NCP’s Saroj Ahire in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls.

In June last year, another Deputy Leader of the Sena (UBT) - former MLA Shishir Shinde - had quit Mr. Thackeray’s side. 

One of the old-time Sainiks known as an aggressive street-fighter, Mr. Shinde gained notoriety for being one of the Shiv Sena activists who had dug up the Wankhede Stadium cricket pitch in Mumbai ahead of the India-Pakistan match in October 1991 which led to the series being cancelled. 

He had joined Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena when the latter broke away from the Shiv Sena to form his own party. However, in 2018, Shishir Sena came back to Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena. 

While resigning from the party, Mr. Shinde complained it was “impossible” to meet with Mr. Thackeray in person and said that his post of deputy leader in the Sena (UBT) was merely ornamental.