Staff Reporter

As a part of strengthening Shiv Sena in Vidarbha, its chief and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinden on Friday, came to Nagpur, welcomed several leaders into its fold in city and at Kanhan. Shinde successfully brought leaders from the Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction) into his fold and Congress leaders too. A grand induction ceremony took place at the Airport Hall on Wardha Road, attended by thousands of Shiv Sainiks. Under the guidance of Shiv Sena’s East Vidarbha coordinator Kiran Pandav, MLC Krupal Tumane, Minister Sanjay Rathod, city chief Mangesh Kashikar along with other senior party members, welcomed leaders from other parties and gave the ‘Shiv Bandhan’ oath. Raju Harne, the ex-chief of District unit of Shiv Sena (UBT) along with his supporters joined Sena at a first Aabhar meeting of Shinde at Kanhan.

 

Ex-leader of National Students Union of India Sumukh Mishra was welcomed by Shinde in his party fold at Nagpur. Earlier, the entry of Harne and ex-MP Prakash Jadhav was opposed by the existing leaders. Finally, Jadhav was asked to wait and Harne got green signal. During its Kanhan meeting, Shinde expressed his gratitude towards people of the region for electing Sena candidates. Eknath Shinde convened a meeting held at the Chemical Company Ground in Kanhan on Friday.

 

This meeting was organised by the Minister of the State Adv Ashish Jaiswal. Prominent among those present in the meeting were Cabinet Minister Sanjay Rathod, MLC Krupal Tumane, Kiran Pandav, Shiv Sena District Deputy Chief Vardhraj Pille, Shiv Sena District Chief Sandeep Itkalewar, labour leader Shivkumar Yadav, Nanda Lohabre, Harshvardhan Nikose, Anandi Khadse, Sanjay Zade, Rajesh Gomkale, Nitesh Bange. On arrival, Shinde was accorded a grand welcome by playing drums and cymbals. In the meeting, many people including the district chief, city chief, ward chief of Shiv Sena Ubatha joined Shiv Sena in the presence of Shinde. Prominent among those who joined were former district chief of Shiv Sena (UBT) Raju Harne, Ashok Jhingare, Prakash Mankar, Praveen Savarkar, Praful Gajbe, Sameer Wankhede, Pramod Tijare, Sapna Meshram, Rajendra Meshram, Amol Waghmare, Sadukar Hatwar, Nitin Bandiwar and numerous workers joined Shiv Sena by wearing a saffron scarf from Shinde's hands. Don’t take me lightly, says Shinde 

 

Replying to a query by a mediaperson at Nagpur, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday said that nobody should take him lightly. He made it clear that the warning is to everyone. He indicated the incident of 2022 when the MVA Government in Maharashtra was toppled. Shinde was in Nagpur with a mission of ‘Operation Tiger’ under which, he welcomed party leaders from Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress to his party’s fold. He had been a worker of Shiv Sena founder

 

Bal Thackeray and Sena leader late Anand Dighe, said Shinde. “In 2022, I showed my strength to those who took me lightly, and Contd from page 1 we brought in a new government,” Shinde said, referring to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government. “The double engine government (headed by Shinde) ran at full speed, and I and Devendra Fadnavis said we would win over 200 seats. We won 232 seats (in the 2024 assembly polls),” he said. “Do not take me lightly. The hint is enough for those who understand it. I will continue to do my work,” Shinde added.