Row Erupts Over Uddhav-led Shiv Sena Leader’s Sexist Jibe At Shaina NC

A row has erupted after Arvind Sawant who is leader of Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Thackeray called Shaina NC—woman leader of Eknath Shinde-led faction as “imported maal” reportedly on Friday.

Shaina NC, an ex-BJP leader is set to contest the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls as the Mumbadevi candidate of Shinde-led Sena candidate.

“Look at her condition. She was in the BJP all her life and now has gone to another party. ‘Imported maal' does not work here, only ‘original maal’ works here,” Sawant was quoted by ANI as saying.

However, after row escalated Sawat accused Shaina NC and leaders of the ruling Mahayuti (BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP) coalition of attempting to set a ‘fake narrative’ against him.

“They are twisting my statement. What I said was Amin Patel is a local and she is an outsider so this ‘imported maal’ will not be accepted in the Mumbadevi constituency,” he said reportedly.

Patel is the sitting Congress MLA from Mumbadevi. He is the candidate of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP).

Reacting on Sawant’s statement, Shaina NC said it was a ‘reflection of his mentality’ and people would ‘teach’ him and his party a ‘lesson.’

"Does he think every woman of Mumbadevi is a ‘maal’? You don't respect a woman. You use such words for a capable woman who is in politics. Now you will be ‘behaal’ (defeated). You (Sawant) will have to apologise at Nagpada police station’ she told ANI.

Maharashtra is scheduled to go for polls on November 20, while the counting of votes for all 288 assembly seats will be held on November 23.