MUMBAI: Wednesday’s judgment by assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar awarding legitimacy to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena roused a surge of latent sentiments that had turned blunt over the past year and a half since 40 MLAs defected to form a new party and state government.
As the gavel struck, victorious Shinde karyakartas began to burst fireworks, waved cutouts of their bow and arrow symbol as well as saffron flags, and distributed sweets outside Vidhan Bhavan.
The scene outside the UBT headquarters at Sena Bhavan in Dadar was a study in contrast. The ire of this camp was directed at Narvekar, whom they perceived as a modern day Judas as they watched him pronounce his hour-long verdict on television.
Women UBT loyalists squatted on the streets, blackening Narvekar’s posters and beating them with slippers as they shouted slogans and held black flags. Chants of “Shiv Sena chorli!” and “Uddhav angaar hain, baaqi sab bhangaar hain!” rent the air.
A pall of gloom accentuated the darkness outside Uddhav’s Matoshri residence in Bandra. Angry placards denounced the “murder of democracy” and expressed “nishedh” (condemnation) of Narvekar’s decision.
In Thane, supporters of homegrown CM Shinde milled around the party headquarters at Anand Ashram since the afternoon. As soon as the verdict arrived, the otherwise serene ambience inside suddenly lit up in cheer.