Pune/Mumbai/Dharashiv, Jun 21 (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, among six dissidents, on Sunday began holding discussions with his supporters in his constituency to finalise his political course, even as the Uddhav Thackeray-led party hopes he will not defect.
Nimbalkar arrived at his residence in Dharashiv from Pune in the afternoon, escorted by Y Plus security cover.
‘’I am meeting my supporters at my residence here. Not through social media, but people have seen how I work for them with dedication. Even a cattle grazer has my mobile phone number,” he said, highlighting his grassroots connect.
After the meeting, one of the supporters said that Nimbalkar should join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, as the Sena (UBT) doesn’t treat him with respect. “Swear words were used against our leader earlier. He will definitely be valued in the Shinde Sena because he is working for the people round-the-clock,” he told reporters in an apparent reference to the party leader, Sanjay Raut.
The supporter claimed Uddhav Thackeray did nothing for the workers of the Sena (UBT) in the recent local body elections.
“Our party workers were defeated. They have incurred debt due to poll spending,” he said, demanding that Nimbalkar be made a minister.
Another party worker also accused Thackeray of abandoning the party activists. “Uddhav made his son (Aaditya) minister (in the erstwhile MVA government) and also ensured that his coterie received the perks of power. Now, he has announced a tour to Marathwada. If he is so concerned, why didn’t he come for electioneering even once? Young leaders were defeated in elections because Thackeray didn’t campaign for them,” he alleged.
Earlier in the day, Nimbalkar said in Pune that he will explain his future political discussion after speaking with people and party office-bearers at Govardhanwadi in Dharashiv. “I will not comment on Uddhav Thackeray or Aditya Thackeray. Leaders from both parties are meeting me,” the MP added. He has never spoken against Uddhav Thackeray or Aaditya Thackeray, and will not do so in future either, the MP said.
On Saturday, a special court acquitted former NCP minister Padamsinh Patil and seven others in the 2006 murder case of his father and Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar.
Asked about it, the MP said, “I will approach the high court seeking justice against the court verdict in my father’s murder case. I will challenge the verdict delivered in my father’s murder case.” “Good people, who live and behave correctly, face disappointment. This is Kalyug,” he had said, disappointed by the trial court’s verdict.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLAs Kailas Patil and Varun Sardesai visited Nimbalkar’s residence in Pune in the wee hours of Sunday.
“We had talks with Omraje. We conveyed Uddhav Saheb’s message. We are confident Omraje will stay with us,” Patil had told reporters.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Anil Desai on Saturday said those waiting for justice for 20 years would have realised now “who is on their side and who is bogus”.
Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray extended an olive branch to dissident MPs, saying those who want to come back to the party fold are welcome, as party chief Uddhav Thackeray has a large heart.
MPs Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar and Nimbalkar skipped the Sena (UBT) parliamentary party meeting in Delhi on June 17, fuelling speculation that they were on their way to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
The Sena (UBT) has nine Lok Sabha members, and the rebel bloc needs at least six MPs — two-thirds of the total strength — to avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law.
Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut had alleged that legal and psychological pressure were being used to coerce the Sena (UBT) MPs to defect.
He also claimed that Nimbalkar was offered a favourable outcome in the 20-year-old murder case of his father, the verdict for which was abruptly deferred from Wednesday to Saturday, if he switched sides.
Nimbalkar had rubbished the claim.
None of the six dissident MPs has responded to the show-cause notices issued by the Sena (UBT) for skipping the parliamentary party meeting, MP Arvind Sawant said on Saturday.
The notice had been issued on June 18, and replies were sought within 24 hours. “We have not received any reply from them (rebel MPs),” Sawant told PTI.
Sources said the next possible step is to write to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking their disqualification for ‘defying the whip’.
