3 min readMumbaiUpdated: Apr 14, 2026 04:54 PM IST
In a candid outburst that has drawn attention within the Eknath Shinde-led Sena, MLA Santosh Bangar on Monday openly criticised sections of the Maharashtra cabinet, accusing some ministers of being increasingly inaccessible and disconnected from party workers.
The remarks were made during a party review meeting in Hingoli, attended by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, who is touring Marathwada to assess the organisation’s ground strength ahead of upcoming local and civic polls. A video of Bangar’s speech, delivered in the presence of senior leaders and workers from Nanded and Hingoli, went viral shortly after.
“Power has gone into the heads of some ministers. They don’t even pick up phone calls. It is the people who vote for us, yet these individuals are ‘leading from a distance.’ Such people should be sent back to their homes,” Bangar said, drawing applause from sections of the audience.
In a further escalation of his criticism, Bangar underscored the growing frustration among grassroots workers over the lack of access to decision-makers. “Karyakartas are struggling to even get appointments. If our own people cannot reach ministers, how will common citizens get justice?” he asked.
The MLA’s remarks are significant not just for their bluntness but also because they were made in the presence of Shrikant Shinde, son of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who has been leading a series of constituency-level review meetings across the region. These meetings aim to gather feedback from local leaders and identify organisational gaps.
Discontent in Marathwada
Sources present at the meeting said Bangar’s comments reflect a wider undercurrent of discontent within the cadre, particularly in Marathwada, where workers have repeatedly flagged issues of inaccessibility and lack of follow-through by ministers.
Another local functionary, who attended the meeting, said, “There is a feeling that after coming to power, some leaders have distanced themselves from the organisation. Workers are finding it difficult to get even basic issues resolved.”
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Bangar also appeared to caution the leadership about the electoral consequences of such a disconnect. “If this continues, the anger of the people will be visible in elections. We cannot take voters for granted,” he said.
While Bangar did not name any specific minister, his remarks come at a time when the Shinde-led Sena has been undertaking internal assessments amid concerns over cadre morale, factional coordination, and local-level dissatisfaction.
Political observers say such public airing of grievances, especially in the presence of the leadership, indicates that pressure is building from within the party ranks to address governance and accessibility issues.
