<p>Mumbai: Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat on Saturday said he was ready to facilitate reconciliation between his party and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) but “hearts must first”.</p>.<p>In an interview with a Marathi channel, Shirsat said he is pained by the split in the Bal Thackeray-founded Shiv Sena, which is now headed by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.</p>.<p>Shirsat, who is also the Shiv Sena spokesperson, said even today he and many of his party colleagues share cordial ties with the Sena (UBT) leaders.</p>.After Aaditya Thackeray skips key meet on Mumbai City, Shiv Sena says he lacks courage to face Shinde.<p>Asked if he was ready to facilitate any efforts towards rapprochement if he gets an opportunity, Shirsat said, “I will do it, but hearts need to meet first.” The leaders of the two parties still meet each other warmly, he said.</p>.<p>“But the distance has become such that if it’s not bridged now, it will be difficult to mend ties later,” Shirsat said.</p>.<p>When asked whether Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray was in a position to facilitate a patch-up, Shirsat said the youth leader, who is in his 30s, was not in a position to do so because of his age.</p>.<p>“We can forgive each other’s mistakes. If you think you can come together by insulting each other then that's not possible,” Shirsat said referring to attacks by the leaders of Shiv Sena UBT.</p>.<p>The original Shiv Sena, then under Uddhav Thackeray, split in June 2022 after Shinde led a rebellion in the party, walked away with his supporters and aligned with the BJP to become Maharashtra CM. Subsequently, he got the party name and its ‘bow and arrow’ symbol.</p>.<p>Since the division, the two Sena factions have relentlessly attacked each other.</p>.<p>In the assembly elections last year, the Shinde Sena, a partner in the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, won 57 of the state’s 288 seats. By contrast, the Sena (UBT), which has aligned with the Congress and NCP (SP) under the Maha Vikas Aghadi, bagged only 20. Altogether, Mahayuti won 230 seats, while MVA got just 46. </p>
<p>Mumbai: Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat on Saturday said he was ready to facilitate reconciliation between his party and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) but “hearts must first”.</p>.<p>In an interview with a Marathi channel, Shirsat said he is pained by the split in the Bal Thackeray-founded Shiv Sena, which is now headed by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.</p>.<p>Shirsat, who is also the Shiv Sena spokesperson, said even today he and many of his party colleagues share cordial ties with the Sena (UBT) leaders.</p>.After Aaditya Thackeray skips key meet on Mumbai City, Shiv Sena says he lacks courage to face Shinde.<p>Asked if he was ready to facilitate any efforts towards rapprochement if he gets an opportunity, Shirsat said, “I will do it, but hearts need to meet first.” The leaders of the two parties still meet each other warmly, he said.</p>.<p>“But the distance has become such that if it’s not bridged now, it will be difficult to mend ties later,” Shirsat said.</p>.<p>When asked whether Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray was in a position to facilitate a patch-up, Shirsat said the youth leader, who is in his 30s, was not in a position to do so because of his age.</p>.<p>“We can forgive each other’s mistakes. If you think you can come together by insulting each other then that's not possible,” Shirsat said referring to attacks by the leaders of Shiv Sena UBT.</p>.<p>The original Shiv Sena, then under Uddhav Thackeray, split in June 2022 after Shinde led a rebellion in the party, walked away with his supporters and aligned with the BJP to become Maharashtra CM. Subsequently, he got the party name and its ‘bow and arrow’ symbol.</p>.<p>Since the division, the two Sena factions have relentlessly attacked each other.</p>.<p>In the assembly elections last year, the Shinde Sena, a partner in the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, won 57 of the state’s 288 seats. By contrast, the Sena (UBT), which has aligned with the Congress and NCP (SP) under the Maha Vikas Aghadi, bagged only 20. Altogether, Mahayuti won 230 seats, while MVA got just 46. </p>