Mumbai, Feb 24 The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Deputy Leader Sushama Andhare on Monday said that a defamation case will be soon filed against Shiv Sena leader and the Maharashtra Legislative Council deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe for allegedly tarnishing the image of the party and the party chief Uddhav Thackeray.
The trigger for the Shiv Sena-UBT was Gorhe’s statement made at the 98th Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Sammelan that “in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena without giving two Mercedes cars, no one was given any post. This is a fact.”
Gorhe, who crossed over to The Eknath Shinde Shiv Sena, further added that “when Balasaheb Thackeray was alive, he kept watch everywhere. After him, the Sena slide began. When Uddhav Thackeray became the Chief Minister, the Sainiks were overjoyed because we thought Balasaheb Thackeray’s son had got the post. But soon things began to surface even MLAs were denied meetings.”
Gorhe’s statement evoked angry reactions from the Thackeray group saying that the party did not give importance to the betrayer. However, the party asked Gorhe, who was nominated for four successive terms and twice as the deputy chairperson of the state council, should provide the receipts of eight Mercedes that she had purportedly given to Thackeray.
Andhare said “Shiv Sena is known as a party that works for the poor and represents the smallest section of the society. Neelam Gorhe made a very absurd statement with the intention of deliberately tarnishing the image of the party and party chief. The Shiv Sena founded by Balasaheb Thackeray has a noble and magnificent tradition. If Gorhe wants to please the ruling Shiv Sena and the MahaYuti and win the Rajya Sabha or ministerial posts, he should do so. However, while doing so, she has tried to throw mud at the party and party chief, which is extremely obscene.”
Andhare further targeted Gorhe saying that “an incompetent woman who has been made a legislator for four terms and who has not been able to to establish a single party Shakha in her area, has indulged into mudslinging.”
Gorhe has not made any statement in the wake of the raging controversy.
However, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut claimed that Gorhe is a “shameless” woman and alleged that as the deputy chairperson of the state council, she takes money from the proposer to include it in the house agenda.
“I am ready to face privilege motion as I have proof,” he said.
Raut said Gorhe also alleged that he gave the Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Mandal Rs 50 lakh to include her as a speaker at one of the seminars at the literary meet. She further claimed she gave a Mercedes to the Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Mandal chief Usha Tambe.
“I have proof of all this. Even Sharad Pawar cannot deny the responsibility for the political mudslinging that took place at the Sahitya Sammelan, he is the guardian and, also equally responsible for the political mudslinging that took place, Pawar Saheb should express his protest,” he added.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat came to Gorhe’s defence and warned the Thackeray camp that he would expose the party with regard to how the nominations were given by taking money.
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