‘Have High Hopes Of This Govt’: Shiv Sainiks Hail Uddhav as CM

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in at Shivaji Park in Dadar, the traditional venue for Shiv Sena events.

Shiv Sena supporters thronged the venue of Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray’s swearing-in ceremony and expressed their happiness at a Sena leader becoming CM.

(Photo: The Quint)

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in at Shivaji Park in Dadar on Thursday, 28 November, the traditional venue for Shiv Sena events.

As people prepared for Uddhav to take oath as the first ever Thackeray CM, The Quint caught up with some supporters of Shiv Sena to gauge their mood and find out how they are feeling about the latest political developments in Maharashtra.

‘Uddhav’s Leadership Will Take Maharashtra to New Heights’

Atul Chalekar, Shiv Sena Shakapramukh, from Pune’s Nasrapur district, said he has high hopes of the new government that is being formed under Uddhav’s leadership.

“The alliance between Shiv Sena and BJP should not have broken, it was 30 years old and had been forged on the foundation of Hindutva. Balasaheb himself had created this alliance and the fact that this alliance has broken is upsetting. But we have high hopes of the new government that is being formed under Uddhav’s leadership. Even farmers have high hopes and we feel that Uddhav’s leadership will take Maharashtra to new heights of greatness,” Chalekar told The Quint.

“But I do have one question in my mind, which is: What will happen five years later when elections will take place again? What will be the role of the three parties, especially Shiv Sena, because their ideologies are so different? Even the distribution of seats will not be easy. They have come together to form the government now but I cannot see the picture clearly five years hence. I am a little worried about that.”

Atul Chalekar, Shiv Sena Shakapramukh

‘Been Waiting for This Day for 20 Years’: Sena’s Women Party Workers

Exhilarated women party workers of Shiv Sena, ahead of Uddhav’s swearing-in ceremony, said they’d been waiting for this day for 20 years.

“We are all very happy and we had been waiting for this day for 20 years. Today, our party chief's dream has also come true – Balasaheb Thackeray’s dream has also come true. All of us Shiv Sainiks and party workers are very happy,” a woman party worker said.

“Balasaheb Thackeray had a dream of taking everyone along with him. Uddhav Thackeray is also determined to do the same, so we believe that this government will last for five years and will work very successfully,” another woman party worker said.

Commenting on Ajit Pawar’s return to the NCP, a party worker said there are many with big hearts who will forgive Pawar for joining forces with Devendra Fadnavis for a short while.

“He should be forgiven,” she said. However, the workers asserted that Uddhav, despite having a big heart, would not forgive PM Modi and BJP.

‘Never Thought Sena Would Join Hands With Congress, But I’m Happy’

Sneha Sawant, a Shiv Sena worker from Dahisar, said that she had never thought that the party would join forces with Congress, but is happy.

49-year-old Sawant told The Quint, “I have been with the Sena for two decades. I never thought that Sena would join hands with Congress, but I am glad that this happened today. We were not happy with the alliance with the BJP.”

Responding to whether the Maha Vikas Aghadi is a betrayal of the people’s mandate, she asserted it isn’t.

“This is not against the mandate, because the BJP won on the back of Sena’s support, not the other way around,” Sawant said.

Sena Supporter Commemorates Bal Thackeray

Kantibhau Mishra, 61, from Malad.

The Quint also spotted 61-year-old Kantibhau Mishra, a Shiv Sena supporter, at the swearing-in ceremony, who was attending the event dressed as Sena Founder Balasaheb Thackeray.

‘Good That Uddhav Chose to Be CM’

Suchita Panjari (right), also a Sena worker from Dahisar, said that it is good that Uddhav had chosen to be the chief minister of Maharashtra.

“It is good that Uddhav chose to be CM, despite Bal Thackeray never holding elected office. Those times were different.”

Suchita Panjari, Sena Worker

She added defiantly, “BJP may be saying this government won’t last. Par hum dekhenge na, hum hai na.”