Rebel Sena MLA complains about another leader of Shinde group, audio clip goes viral

PTI

Mumbai, July 7

An audio clip of a rebel Shiv Sena MLA complaining about Gulabrao Patil, former minister and another legislator in the Eknath Shinde camp, went viral on social media on Thursday.

In the nearly seven-minute-long audio clip, Chimanrao Patil, MLA from Arandol in Jalgaon district, claimed that Gulabrao, who hails from the same district, worked for his defeat in 2014.

When contacted, Chimanrao confirmed the authenticity of the conversation.

Both the leaders were part of the group of some 40 Sena MLAs who supported Eknath Shinde when he rebelled and brought down the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government last month.

In the phone call with a party worker which was apparently recorded, Chimanrao Patil is heard saying that he got tired of complaining about the trouble he faced in his constituency to the Sena leadership but to no avail, and he did not get funds for his constituency either.

“I had personally told Uddhav saheb (Thackeray) that I am facing a lot of problems. He (Gulabrao) worked for my defeat in 2014 (Assembly polls), still he was made a minister,” Chimanrao is heard saying.

“The clip is authentic and I have expressed my feelings since the party worker (at the other end) too was talking very fervently. I just stated the facts,” he told PTI when contacted.