Thane's 'Thackeray' new Maharashtra CM: Father was a factory worker, mother worked in homes; Shinde himself drove an auto to take care of his family

In the current political turmoil in Maharashtra, the person whose name is most discussed is Eknath Shinde. The rule of Eknath Shinde, who is called Thackeray of Thane, will now run across Maharashtra. He has become the new CM of Maharashtra.

Shinde, an MLA from Thane's Kopri-Pachpakhadi assembly seat and Minister of Urban Development and Public Works in the Uddhav government, has a stronghold in Thane. Eknath is not a name but a party in itself. The people of Thane see him as a reflection of one of the founders of Shiv Sena, Anand Chintamani Dighe. This is the reason why people are blindly standing by Shinde's decision.

Uddhav's photo missing from Thane, Shinde is visible everywhere

After the announcement of Eknath Shinde becoming the CM, there is an atmosphere of celebration in Shiv Sena across Thane.

Not only the people of Thane are standing behind Eknath Shinde, but more than two-thirds, that is, 40 Shiv Sena MLAs are also standing. When Shinde raised a rebellious tone against Uddhav, banners, and posters were put up in support of him all over the Thane district. Balasaheb was there in these posters, but the picture of the current Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray disappeared.

Solved the problem of water by entering politics

Shinde's childhood was spent in Thane's Kisan Nagar Wagle State No. 16. Today he also has a flat here. In this, he lived with his parents and three siblings. His childhood friend Jagdish Pokhriyal says that Eknath was one of those who stood up for the people from the beginning. There was a huge problem with drinking water here.

Women had to fetch water from afar. Seeing this problem, Shinde was advised by one of his friends to get into politics. Initially, Shinde refused, but later he joined the RSS shakha.

Muslims made an entry into Shiv Sena

This is Hafizur Rahman Choudhary's shop, where Eknath Shinde decided to contest the Thane Municipal Corporation elections.

Shinde's stature in Thane is such that not only the core cadre of Shiv Sena i.e. Hindus, but Muslims also stand with him. This is the reason that in the name of Shinde, the people of both the communities elected his son Shrikant Shinde and sent him to the Lok Sabha. Imtiaz Shaikh alias 'Bachcha', who was Eknath's PA, told that before joining Shiv Sena, Shinde was RSS shakha chief and used to drive an auto-rickshaw.

One day Anand Dighe came to his locality and asked the people who they wanted to see as their councilor (Nagar Sevak). On this, hundreds of Muslims including Imtiaz put forward the name of Eknath Shinde in unison. It was only after this that Shinde actively entered Shiv Sena.

Hafizur Rahman Choudhary, who runs a fabrication shop here, told that Eknath Shinde had decided to contest the municipal elections while sitting at his shop.

Father used to work in a cardboard company and their mother in homes

Shinde may have become the new CM of Maharashtra today, but there was a time when the financial condition of his house was very weak. Haleem Sheikh, who had driven Eknath Shinde's car between 1990-92, said that his father Sambhaji Shinde used to work in a cardboard company, and his mother used to work in homes. Despite such poverty, Shinde never took any wrong path and was always ready to help his loved ones.

Left politics after the death of two children

It's June 2, 2000. Eknath Shinde had gone to Satara with his 11-year-old son Dipesh and 7-year-old daughter Shubhada. An accident happened while boating and both Shinde's children drowned in front of his eyes. At that time, Shinde's third child, Shrikant, was just 14 years old.

After this incident, Shinde was so broken that he announced his retirement from politics. Devidas Chalke, who has been living with Shinde for the last 40 years, said that after the death of the children, Eknath imprisoned himself in a room. He did not meet or talk to anyone. Then his political mentor and Shiv Sena strongman Anand Dighe brought him back to politics.

Became a laborer, and also did the work of peeling fish

Devidas Chalke also told that Eknath Shinde used to work as a labor contractor along with driving an auto to get the family out of the financial crisis. Many times it happened that more work came and laborers were less. At such a time, Shinde himself worked as a laborer. He also cleaned the fish with his own hands.

Shinde's voice had gone while giving the speech

Three childhood friends of Shinde narrated all the incidents and told how Shinde became popular among the public.

Devidas further told that there was a time in Eknath Shinde's life when his voice was gone for about 15 days. This was the time for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Shinde campaigned so much all over Maharashtra that he lost his voice. However, with the efforts of the doctors, he was brought back again. Despite this, he kept fighting for Shiv Sena and today he is being accused of being a rebel. Those people are accusing him, who never even met people.

Shinde saved the locality from drowning in water

Recalling an old anecdote, Milind Jhande, a friend of Eknath Shinde and a friend of sorrows, told that once a water pipeline passing through the Kisan Nagar area burst and started filling the area with water. The employees of the corporation were getting late in coming.

As soon as Eknath Shinde got this information, he reached the spot and jumped into the water. He repaired the broken pipeline and saved the area from drowning even before the employees of the corporation arrived.