Eknath Shinde, who charted his own political course in June 2022 after leading a revolt against the leadership of the united Shiv Sena, reaffirmed his commitment to spreading the party's ideology and growing its presence
Eknath Shinde. File Pic
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday declared his party Shiv Sena would expand its influence across the state and asserted its winning momentum in the 2024 assembly elections would continue in future polls, reported the PTI.
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Eknath Shinde, who charted his own political course in June 2022 after leading a revolt against the leadership of the united Shiv Sena, reaffirmed his commitment to spreading the party's ideology and growing its presence.
He was addressing a gathering in Thane district on the occasion of Magh Poornima at the base of the Malang Gadh, where devotees climb the hill to seek the darshan of Machindranath, a revered figure associated with the Nath Panth, a Hindu monastic tradition, as per the PTI.
In his speech, Eknath Shinde highlighted the party's new initiative, 'Gaon Tethe Shakaha, Gar Tethe Sena,' which is aimed at expanding the Shiv Sena's reach across the state by setting up more party branches in villages and towns, according to the PTI.
He urged party workers to intensify their efforts and bring in more people into the Shiv Sena fold.
"If you follow this drive, the future is yours," said Shinde, who heads the regional saffron party which is a constituent of the ruling Mahayuti alliance led by the BJP.
Reflecting on the party's history, Shinde recalled how he had accompanied his mentor, the late Anand Dighe, to the Malang Gadh on several occasions during his early days in politics.
He mentioned that it was under Dighe's leadership that several of undivided Shiv Sena's key programmes and schemes were initiated and have continued uninterrupted to this day.
To make the pilgrimage to the hilltop temple at Malang Gadh more accessible, especially for women and the elderly, Shinde announced the services of the funicular ropeway, which had been launched to aid visitors, would now be open to all.
Eknath Shinde reflected on the Shiv Sena's success in the last year's legislative elections, expressing confidence that this momentum would continue in future elections.
The Shinde-led Shiv Sena had won 57 out of the 81 assembly seats it contested, contributing significantly to the Mahayuti alliance's landslide victory in the state in November last year.
"People's support for the Shiv Sena has grown immensely due to the party's strong performance (in polls) and the positive work done by the Mahayuti government," he emphasised.
Shinde called on party workers to visit every household in Maharashtra and highlight the achievements of the Mahayuti government over the past two and a half years.
He described Shiv Sena 'shakhas' (branches) as "Nayay Mandirs" (temples of justice), where citizens come to seek resolutions to their problems.
The Deputy CM stressed the importance of maintaining this image and ensuring that the "shakhas" continue to serve people.
Shinde vowed to serve Maharashtra for the rest of his life. "Till the last drop of blood in my life, I will dedicate myself to the state and its people," he remarked.
Shinde expressed confidence in the judiciary and hoped the issue of Malang Gadh, which has been a matter of dispute for sometime, would be resolved soon.
On a lighter note, Shinde shared a personal anecdote about his early experiences with mentor Dighe on the Malang Gadh pilgrimage. He recalled how, on one occasion, they had to make a repeat journey after Dighe insisted on climbing the hill again to complete the visit.
In a related development, leaders from the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) also visited Malang Gadh to offer prayers.
(with PTI inputs)
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