Bhandara: Maharashtra minister Uday Samant has launched a fresh political attack on the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction, questioning its organizational strategy and its repeated criticism of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Reporting confirms that speaking to reporters in Bhandara, Samant said political parties should concentrate on building their organization and connecting with grassroots workers instead of relying primarily on public statements and press conferences.
Samant Questions Sapkal’s Electoral Experience
Samant questioned whether Sapkal had ever contested an election at the local level. He referred to elections involving gram panchayats, nagar panchayats, municipalities, municipal corporations, municipal councils, panchayat samitis and cooperative societies.
His remarks came while discussing the role of party office-bearers and the importance of organizational experience in politics.
Samant also referred to Congress leaders Bunty Patil and Vishwajeet Kadam, saying that he considers both of them friends. He suggested that had they been in the Congress organization in the situation he was referring to, they would have worked toward expanding their own party.
“They Should Focus on Their Own Organization”
Taking a swipe at the Thackeray faction’s frequent media interactions, Samant said that political attention should not be limited to press conferences.
According to him, a party becomes stronger when its workers remain connected with the organization and when its leadership regularly reaches ordinary citizens.
Samant said that while different political parties will naturally work to expand their own support base, every organization should first examine its internal structure and ability to retain workers.
Samant Refers to Supreme Court Proceedings
The Shiv Sena name and election symbol dispute also featured prominently in Samant’s remarks. Referring to the ongoing legal proceedings, he said that the matter is before the Supreme Court and questioned the propriety of making strong statements about the case outside the court.
Samant maintained that the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde represents the political legacy and ideology associated with Balasaheb Thackeray.
He also referred to the political developments of 2019 and alleged that the events of that period represented the actual political betrayal. He questioned the circumstances surrounding the bow-and-arrow symbol and its connection with the Congress during the subsequent political developments.
Samant Calls for Political Introspection
Samant urged the Thackeray faction to look inward rather than continuously targeting Eknath Shinde and his supporters.
He said that the more important questions for any political organization are how to keep its cadre together, expand its network and establish direct contact with people.
According to Samant, criticism alone cannot build a political organization. He argued that effective grassroots work and organizational planning are necessary for long-term political growth.
“Criticism of Shinde and Fadnavis Cannot Continue Forever”
Samant also objected to what he described as continuous criticism of Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis.
He said that his side remains confident about the legal proceedings and maintained that it had not acted improperly.
“We are optimistic. We have not done anything wrong, and we are confident that we will receive the appropriate judgment,” Samant said.
“Let the Verdict Come First”
Responding to political predictions about the outcome of the Shiv Sena dispute, Samant said that the final decision should be awaited before drawing conclusions.
He took a dig at those who, according to him, are predicting the outcome before the judgment has been delivered.
Samant said that once the verdict is announced, the political implications can be discussed based on the actual decision.
Advice to Strengthen Grassroots Presence
Samant further argued that the Thackeray faction should focus on developing its organizational machinery rather than attempting to demonstrate political strength through repeated criticism of the rival faction.
He suggested that taking up issues independently, organizing movements and maintaining a direct presence among citizens would help strengthen the party at the grassroots level.
He described the suggestion as a request rather than merely political advice, stressing the importance of organizational work.
Response to Prakash Ambedkar’s Election Symbol Remark
Samant also responded to a statement attributed to Prakash Ambedkar regarding the possibility of the bow-and-arrow election symbol being frozen and its potential political consequences.
Ambedkar had suggested that such a situation could potentially benefit the BJP if lawmakers from the two factions moved toward the party.
Samant responded to the observation in the context of the ongoing political and legal dispute between the two Shiv Sena factions.
The comments come amid continued political disagreements over the Shiv Sena name, election symbol, organizational control and the respective claims of the two factions.