The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena continues to bleed due to ‘Operation Tiger’ after Sindhudurg district Sena chief Sanjay Padte resigned from his post on Tuesday.

In a letter written by Sanjay Padte to party chief Uddhav Thackeray, Padte wrote, “I, Sanjay Dhonddev Padte, have been working as a Shiv Sainik of Balasaheb since 1985. Thank you for getting the opportunity to work as the Sindhudurg district chief under your leadership. At present, it is not possible for me to do justice to ordinary Shiv Sainiks.

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“So far, while working for Shiv Sainiks, I have done justice honestly and in a loyal manner. Currently, due to the ongoing developments within the party, I do not feel it is possible to work. However, we will continue as Balasaheb’s Shiv Sainiks”.

Padte’s resignation has created a stir among the Shiv Sainiks in Sindhudurg district of the Konkan region and they are in a state of shock, sources said.

In a related development, another Thackeray-led Shiv Sena leader Jitendra Janawale has resigned from the party. He was the Vile Parle sub-division chief of the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena until recently and he will join the Deputy CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on February 20, sources said.

The Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Thackeray group has already faced setbacks in Ratnagiri and Dapoli Nagar Panchayats. Local civic body elections will be held in Maharashtra very soon and hence, such developments are being considered a big setback for the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.

Earlier, five corporators of the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena in Ratnagiri and Dapoli Nagar panchayats had formed a separate group and all these five corporators have joined the Deputy CM Eknath Shinde Shiv Sena.

The names of Thackeray-led corporators who have joined the Deputy CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are Vilas Shigwan, Anwar Rakhange, Mehboob Talgharkar, Santosh Kalkutke, Ashwini Lanjekar.

Notably, before the assembly elections, these corporators had joined the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena from the NCP. These corporators had stated that they had joined the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena for “development work”.