Know Neelam Gorhe, Appointed ‘Neta’ in Eknath’s Shiv Sena Faction – News18

The increasing zeal in Maharashtra politics continues to witness legislators shuffle and switch parties ahead of the assembly elections next year. The new addition to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena is Neelam Gorhe, an MLA with Shiv Sena (UBT).

The designation of ‘neta’, which is only assigned to the senior-most leaders in the party other than the party president, was also given to Gorhe, said a Hindustan Times report.

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According to PTI, she is the Shiv Sena legislator from within the council to have joined the Shinde camp. The report added that this development comes after a time where there was certain hints of unease in the Shinde led Shiv Sena due to the Maharashtra government being joined by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

“I have decided to join the Shiv Sena keeping in mind women’s issues and overall development of the state and country,” said Gohre. Shinde even termed Gorhe joining his party a ”historic” development.

WHO IS NEELAM GOHRE?

1. Neelam Gohre, currently serving as the Deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, is a well experienced legislator. And since 2002, she has been elected to the council for four consecutive terms, a Livemint report said.

2. Gohre has been a women’s rights activist and a socialist. In the early 1990s she was a part of Republican Party of India (RPI) before joining Shiv Sena in 1998.

3. She has been a loyalist to the Shiv Sena, and has served as an MLC, spokesperson and deputy leader within the party.

4. Born in 1954, Gorhe graduated from Mumbai University and also holds a professional degree in Ayurvedic medicine. She practiced medicine for ten years before joining politics in 1987, the HT report said.

5. To better help women and advocate for their rights, Gorhe founded a Stree Aadhar Kendra in 1984. The organisation aims at creating gender-neutral societies and teams up with government for shaping policies related to women, the report added.

While Gorhe joined the Shinde led faction, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Vinayak Raut said that those who have been after securing their posts have “betrayed” the Shiv Sena and Uddhav Thackeray, even after acquiring favours from him.

In fact Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut claimed that about 17-18 MLAs from the Shinde led Sena were in touch with his party leaders after the entry of NCP into the government.

(With inputs from PTI)