Literary event being used for political gains, attacking rivals, Sena (UBT) says in complaint

Shiv Sena leader and deputy chairperson of the legislative council Dr Neelam Gorhe on Sunday made a startling allegation at the ongoing 98th All India Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in New Delhi, saying positions in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) were awarded in exchange for luxury Mercedes cars.

- Niraj Pandit

NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena leader and deputy chairperson of the legislative council Dr Neelam Gorhe on Sunday made a startling allegation at the ongoing 98th All India Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in New Delhi, saying positions in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) were awarded in exchange for luxury Mercedes cars.

"If you gave two Mercedes in Thackeray's Shiv Sena, you would get one post," Gorhe said during the 'Ase Ghadlo Amehi' programme at the literary conference. The senior leader said she had sided with the faction led by Eknath Shinde during the split in Shiv Sena in 2023 as leaders from the Thackeray faction had distanced themselves from the public. "If leaders do not want contact, there is no point in staying there," she said.

Accusing Uddhav Thackeray of being inaccessible, she alleged that during Thackeray's tenure as chief minister (2019-2022), even legislators struggled to secure appointments with him.