Indian gangster and underworld don Chhota Rajan's brother Ashutosh Nikalje joined Shiv Sena UBT on Friday, October 10 at Uddhav Thackeray's private residence, Matoshree, in Mumbai. Along with Nikalje, his supporters also joined UBT ahead of the Maharashtra local body elections.
Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray tied him Shivbandhan to welcome him to the party with garlands. Hundreds of office bearers and activists, including Sarjerao Kamble, the district chief and president of the Elgar Workers' Union, have joined Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena. He is expected to make a statement following the event.
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The entry of the Nikalje group has created a buzz in Mumbai and the Konkan region ahead of the upcoming elections. Sena ( UBT is likely to gain further strength. While interacting with the office bearers who joined Sena UBT, Uddhav Thackeray praised them. "In times of struggle, I am proud to see what true Shiv Sena is showing," he said. Commenting on the political situation in the country, he explained that there is a need to educate people about what true patriotism and genuine Hindutva mean.
Without naming anyone, Thackeray criticised the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over the advertisement scam. Referring to banners being displayed in many squares and streets across the city, he said, "All this advertising is happening unnecessarily. If you do good work, there is no need for publicity. People notice and appreciate it on their own. But that attitude seems to be lost, which is why they resort to putting up posters."