Aaditya Thackeray to take on Narayan Rane, tour his home turf

Mumbai : After leading a protest march and lancing a challenge at Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on his home turf, Thane, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray will soon go to the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg districts of Konkan to take on Union minister and BJP leader Narayan Rane on the latter’s home turf.

The conflict between the Shinde-Fadnavis government and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) intensified recently after a woman worker from the Sena (UBT) was attacked by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s party workers. In the war of words that ensued, Union minister Narayan Rane warned Uddhav Thackeray that if he attacked BJP leaders, it would cost him dearly.

As a response to Rane’s attack on Thackeray, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has decided to take on the Rane family and organise a tour by Aaditya in the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg districts of South Konkan. These districts are considered a bastion of the Thackeray faction and are also the home turf of Rane, who belongs to Sindhudurg.

The Thackeray faction believes that Aaditya’s tour will help the party mobilise its workers and traditional supporters. “Aaditya toured the Konkan area last year and got good support during his rallies and road shows,” said a Sena (UBT) leader. “Rane and the BJP are hoping to regain the Lok Sabha constituency and also want to expand their base in the assembly constituencies of these two districts. In such a situation, it is very important for us to boost the morale of our party workers and local leaders. Aaditya’s tour to Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg will definitely play an important role in this.”

The Sena (UBT) leader said that since Aaditya was busy with preparations for the MVA rally on May 1 in Mumbai, he would most probably tour the two districts in May. Vinayak Raut, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP from the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency, confirmed the tour.

Rane, who is a prominent leader from Sindhudurg, lost to Shiv Sena MLA Vaibhav Naik in the 2014 assembly elections. His son, Nilesh Rane, was Congress MP from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha constituency in 2009-2014 but lost to the Shiv Sena’s Vinayak Raut in 2014. Now Rane is with the BJP and his son Nitesh Rane is a BJP MLA from the Kankavali assembly constituency. The BJP and the Rane family have taken a very aggressive stand against Thackeray and his party in the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg district to regain political dominance.

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HEAD: Young woman from Sena (UBT) dies of heart attack after Thane rally

Mumbai : A young woman leader from the Shiv Sena (UBT) and secretary of the Yuva Sena, the party’s youth wing, advocate Durga Bhosle-Shinde (32), who was sent back home after feeling uneasy during the MVA rally in Thane, passed away on Wednesday night after suffering a heart attack.

Bhosle-Shinde was a resident of Cumballa Hill and the last rites were performed at the Banganga crematorium at Walkeshwar on Thursday evening. Shiv Sena (UBT) party president Uddhav Thackeray, along with wife Rashmi and son MLA Aaditya Thackeray, attended the funeral. Bhosle-Shinde is survived by her husband, mother and father Keshavrao Bhosle.

On Wednesday, Durga participated in the Shiv Sena (UBT) protest march held in Thane under the leadership of Aaditya Thackeray. “While shouting slogans, she experienced some uneasiness so the other party workers sent her back to Mumbai,” said a Thackeray faction office-bearer. “She died due to a heart attack on Wednesday night.”

Aaditya Thackeray paid tribute to Durga on Twitter. ‘Yesterday we lost our most hardworking, enthusiastic, kind, sensitive young soldier. It is very hard and sad to believe that Durga Bhosle-Shinde is no longer with us. It is impossible for me to express in words this passing of a young soldier and a friend. Peace!’ Aaditya said in a tweet.