KALYAN/MUMBAI: Before Shiv Sainiks attacked the SUV of rebel MLA and ex-minister Uday Samant in Pune late on Tuesday, rival factions of the Sena clashed at the party's Dombivli shakha as CM Eknath Shinde's supporters tried to restore pictures of the CM and his Lok Sabha MP son Shrikant which had been removed recently by Uddhav Thackeray backers. Peace was restored after police intervened, but not before Shinde supporters had succeeded in placing the CM's picture and that of his son in the shakha next to Uddhav's.
In another instance. rebel Sena MLA from Aurangabad (W) Sanjay Shirsat reportedly removed Uddhav and Aaditya Thackeray's photos from his office, prompting Aaditya to say "the masks were off and the real faces of traitors had been revealed."
After removing photos of the CM and his son, the Thackeray camp had reportedly not allowed Shinde supporters to enter the Dombivli shakha. At 2.30 pm on Tuesday, Shinde supporters gathered to re-install the photos. Initially a few Sainiks were present in the shakha, but soon a lot of them gathered, resulting in a scuffle. Despite opposition of Uddhav team members, Shinde supporters placed the photos.
Vivek Khamkar, Sena's Dombivli chief, said 300 Shinde men barged in and asked him to leave. But Ramesh Mahatre, a Shinde supporter, said the shakha also belonged to Shinde supporters and since they (Uddhav camp) had removed photos, he and the others went there to re-install the photos and asked them to allow pictures and members of both groups till the issue of control is resolved.
The two Sena groups in Dombivli had also clashed last week.
Meanwhile, Aaditya Thackeray said, referring to the removal of photos in Aurangabad by rebel MLA Shirsat, that "the drama of these traitors has been going on for a month. They were saying that we have respect for Uddhav Thackeray and love for Aditya Thackeray, and that Aaditya is like a son. Now their true thoughts are out.
