Ramesh Solanki worked as a Shiv Sainik for 21 years. But he walked out within hours of the party forming an alliance with the NCP and Congress in 2019. Three years later, the very issue threatens to split the Shiv Sena down the middle with Eknath Shinde challenging Uddhav Thackeray for leadership.
News18.com caught up with Solanki, the first Shiv Sainik to leave the party citing Sena’s “compromise” on Balasaheb Thackeray’s principles. In an exclusive interview, Solanki told News18.com that a split in the party is imminent as the Thackerays left behind the bhagwa ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray.
Solanki added that the Shiv Sainiks are an emotional lot and said Uddhav Thackeray playing the emotion card was going to come about sooner or later.
Edited excerpts:
You are the first Shiv Sainik to have resigned over the party’s alliance with NCP and Congress. How do you see this split in the Shiv Sena?
Yes, I was the first Shiv Sainik to have resigned on November 26, 2019 and to be very honest, I am happy that many old hands of the Sena have decided to go their separate ways. I was expecting this to happen a lot earlier. If you do anything that is against your basic temperament, it doesn’t stay for long.
I was expecting Uddhav sahib to do it. I thought Uddhav will kick out NCP and Congress for promoting appeasement. But it is better late than never.
How do you see Shiv Sena politically post this split?
What I did and what they (Shinde camp) are doing now is the same thing. MVA government was not ideal. Balasaheb’s ideology will always remain relevant to Maharashtra politics. The Shiv Sena that we saw in 2019 was not even Shiv Sena. How it will look like, will depend on the decision of the leaders.
Shiv Sainiks in Mumbai are saying Thackerays are the Shiv Sena.
Be it Balasaheb’s son or grandson, if they work against Balasaheb’s ideology, it won’t continue for long. We joined Shiv Sena after being influenced by Balasaheb’s Hindutva ideology. Compromising the ideology by default is not going to work.
How tough would it be for rebel MLAs to separate themselves from the existing Shiv Sena?
I tell you from my personal experience, it is the toughest decision for any Sainik to part ways with the Sena. I said it on record that it was a heart-breaking moment for me. Whenever there was an order from Balasaheb, everyone would take to the roads with their lives at stake.
What do you make of Shiv Sainiks vandalising property belonging to the rebel MLAs?
Protest is in Shiv Sena’s blood. I am not justifying it, but they would have come out on the streets and protested. But sadly, few elements are inciting it further. They should think about the people of the state.
Uddhav Thackeray became emotional while addressing Shiv Sainiks…
Shiv Sainiks are highly emotional and playing the emotion card was going to happen. But after a point, that card won’t be effective. The party is going to split. Rebels and their supporters have rejected the NCP and Congress, and not the Shiv Sena. They (Thackeray camp) change their stand every hour. Sometimes they say they will leave the party, and then they threaten rebels.
Where do you see Aditya Thackeray in the scheme of things?
Any Shiv Sainik, be it Uddhav or Aditya, if they want to move forward they need to have Balasaheb’s ideology. Balasaheb’s Shiv Sena is bhagwa, you can make it green. You can be progressive, but can’t change the basic nature of the party. I would advise the young leaders of Shiv Sena that we are nothing without Balasaheb.
The impact of the split is going to be pan-India. The top leadership will start taking other rank leaders seriously. I believe there should be a Balasaheb Ki Sena.
You know Eknath Shinde well. Do you think he can come back to Uddhav?
They can always come back. If ideology comes into the picture, nothing is impossible. If the Shiv Sena can join hands with the NCP and Congress, I believe everything is possible in politics.
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