Maharashtra: Uddhav camp leader Gholap joins Shinde Sena

In a fresh setback to the Uddhav Thackeray camp ahead of Lok Sabha elections, former Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) deputy leader Babanrao Gholap and former MLA Sanjay Pawar joined the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday.Last month, independent MLA Rutu Banavat joined the Shiv Sena, marking the presence of the party in the north Indian state.Gholap was welcomed into the party by Shinde in the presence of state minister Dada Bhuse and Deputy Chairperson of Maharashtra Legislative Council Neelam Gorhe.Gholap, a five-time MLA from Nashik district, joining the Shinde camp may boost the party's prospects in North Maharashtra.Former MLA Sanjay Pawar also joined the Shinde-led Sena.
Gholap sent his resignation to Uddhav Thackeray on January 15, resigning from the primary membership of the party.The politician has a host of cases against him. He was accused of being involved in siphoning off ₹4.5 crore from three state-run corporations into the bankrupt Awami Mercantile Bank, for which he allegedly received kickbacks. He had to resign in 1999 after allegations of corruption by Anna Hazare. In 2014, he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.
Addressing the media, Gholap said, “The Shiv Sena UBT group did injustice to me and relieved me of many responsibilities and I asked them, but there was no reply. No one ever got back to me. Then I resigned and joined the Shiv Sena. I will undertake any responsibility that is given to me.’’ Sanjay Pawar said that he was elected from Shiv Sena in 2004 on a bow and arrow symbol and was happy to work for real Shiv Sena which has a bow and arrow symbol.