Shiv Sena leader and former Deputy Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Neelam Gorhe, at the Free Press Journal office, Mumbai | Vijay Gohil/FPJ
Shiv Sena leader and former Deputy Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Neelam Gorhe, has ignited a political controversy by alleging that positions in Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray’s (UBT) Shiv Sena were secured in exchange for luxury cars. Gorhe claimed that gifting two Mercedes cars was a prerequisite for obtaining a post in the UBT faction.
Her remarks, made during the ongoing 98th All India Marathi Literary Meet in Delhi, have drawn sharp reactions from political circles. Gorhe stated, “The reality is that in Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, two Mercedes cars were enough to secure a position in the party.”
Dismissing Gorhe’s claims, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said, “Show me where these Mercedes cars are. I don’t pay attention to such irrelevant people. As a woman, I respect her, but in politics, she should maintain dignity.” Thackeray also countered her allegations by questioning, “She herself moves around in a Mercedes. Why doesn’t she check whether the ‘Ladki Bahin’ installments are being paid?”
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut demanded an explanation from Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, the organisers, over the appropriateness of political comments at the literary gathering. He wondered whether the event was held under some political pressure. “If Uddhav Thackeray made her an MLA four times, does that mean she gave him eight Mercedes cars? If so, she should produce the receipts,” he remarked.
“If what Gorhe said was true, then there would have been a line of Mercedes cars at Matoshree (Uddhav Thackeray’s residence),” Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve, told reporters.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare said Gorhe should disclose how much she benefitted from her three-decade-long association with the undivided Shiv Sena. “She had held significant influence over appointments when she was in undivided Sena. Going by her claim of corruption, she should account for her earnings during her tenure,” Andhare said.
The controversy intensified further when former Mumbai Mayor and Shiv Sena Women’s Wing leader Kishori Pednekar led a protest outside Neelam Gorhe’s residence on Sunday, demanding clarification on her statements.
Amid the controversy, Shiv Sena (UBT) workers staged a protest outside Gorhe’s residence in Pune on Sunday. They raised slogans and demanded that Gorhe apologise to Uddhav Thackeray.
