Mumbai: CPI pledges support to Uddhav Thackeray’s party in Andheri East bypolls

CPI Mumbai Secretary Milind Ranade, senior leaders Prakash Reddy, Prakash Narwekar, Baba Sawant, trade union leaders Vijay Dalvi and Babli Rawat met Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday

The left, which has fought ‘bloody' battles in the city against the unified Shiv Sena, has extended a helping hand to Uddhav Thackeray. A Communist Party of India (CPI) delegation met Thackeray at his residence on Wednesday to pledge full support to his party's candidate in the Andheri East bypolls.

The Thackeray Sena spokesperson said in a statement that the CPI will stand with the Maha Vikas Aghadi in the fight against the BJP. "CPI Mumbai Secretary Milind Ranade, senior leaders Prakash Reddy, Prakash Narwekar, Baba Sawant, trade union leaders Vijay Dalvi and Babli Rawat were warmly received by Uddhavji at Matoshree today," he said.

The development evoked reactions on social media. Political commentator and senior journalist Nikhil Wagle wrote on his FB wall, "History was made today. The communists have supported the Sena. The enemies of yesteryears have become friends today."

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Senior journalist Mahesh Mhatre wrote, "Today's development is an extreme side of political show. The communists who fought the Sena all their life have supported Uddhav Thackeray's Sena in the bypolls."

He said that after leftist leader Krishna Desai's murder in 1970, the Shiv Sena established its clout in mill land areas. "In the bypolls [after the murder] Wamanrao Mahadik beat Desai's widow to become the Sena's first elected MLA. This is history," he said, adding that it has come a full circle.

"Now the communists who are almost finished in politics have voluntarily come forward to help a party that has a new symbol and new name. Such is politics," he wrote.