Rahul Gandhi should back Indian industrialists, congratulate Capt Machchhar: Ex-Sena-UBT leader
Synopsis
A former Shiv Sena-UBT spokesperson has turned his resignation into a public challenge for Rahul Gandhi — urging the Opposition leader to drop his association with foreign entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, back Indian industry, and congratulate Captain Smit Machchhar. The remarks expose growing ideological fault lines within the Sena-UBT's rank and file in Maharashtra.
Key Takeaways
Former Shiv Sena-UBT leader Anand Dubey on 13 October urged Rahul Gandhi to pursue 'positive politics' and support Indian industrialists over foreign entrepreneurs.
Dubey called on Gandhi to publicly congratulate Captain Smit Machchhar , describing him as a national hero whose bravery saved many lives.
Dubey resigned from Shiv Sena-UBT, citing its drift away from Veer Savarkar's ideology and its alignment with Congress after the Sena-BJP coalition collapse in 2022 .
He had worked with the Youth Congress for 14 to 15 years before joining Shiv Sena in 2019 .
Dubey identified himself as a Sanatani and right-winger, saying Balasaheb Thackeray would have blessed his decision to resign.
Former Shiv Sena-UBT leader Anand Dubey on Tuesday, 13 October urged Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to pursue what he termed 'positive politics', champion Indian industrialists over foreign entrepreneurs, and publicly congratulate Captain Smit Machchhar for his acts of bravery. Dubey made the remarks in Mumbai, days after announcing his resignation from the Shiv Sena-UBT.
The Appeal to Rahul Gandhi
Dubey, addressing reporters, argued that as one of the country's leading Opposition figures, Gandhi carried a responsibility to direct his energies toward constructive national goals. 'You are one of the leading Opposition leaders; you should engage in positive politics. Please do not choose Elon Musk; please choose Indian industrialists,' Dubey said, asserting that keeping the country's wealth within India would be a genuine demonstration of patriotic commitment.
He also issued a pointed call on the Congress leader to acknowledge Captain Machchhar's contributions. 'If your conscience is awake, it is not too late to congratulate Captain Smit Machchhar. If you can do it, the nation will stand with you,' Dubey said, framing such a gesture as a litmus test for Gandhi's commitment to Indian values.
Why Dubey Resigned from Shiv Sena-UBT
Dubey traced his political journey from his early days in the Youth Congress, where he worked for 14 to 15 years, before gravitating toward Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology. He joined Shiv Sena in 2019, when the party was still aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but grew increasingly uneasy as the party later aligned itself with the Congress in the wake of the Sena-BJP coalition's collapse in 2022.
His primary objection, he said, was the party's drift away from the legacy of Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar and its silence on Captain Machchhar's bravery. 'When I saw that leaders of my party are going at Coackroach Janta Party's platform, supporting them, following Congress, and are not talking in the lines of Veer Savarkar or, for that matter, not praising the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his bravery, who saved so many lives... I thought I should resign,' Dubey said.
Ideological Foundations and Self-Description
Dubey described his political identity as rooted in the values of Swami Vivekananda, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Chhatrapati Maharaj. He identified himself as a Shiv Sainik, a devotee of Lord Ram, a Sanatani, and a right-winger, and said he believed Balasaheb Thackeray would have endorsed his decision to resign.
He added that he could not support a political stance that, in his view, separated the legacy of Lord Shiva from that of Lord Ram — a framing he used to critique what he saw as ideological inconsistency within the Shiv Sena-UBT's current direction.
India's Standing on the World Stage
Dubey also touched on India's growing geopolitical stature, noting that a country of approximately 147 crore people had earned the capacity to engage as an equal with major powers including China, Russia, and the United States. He argued this standing imposed a higher standard of conduct on national political leaders, particularly those in the Opposition.
Dubey's remarks signal a broader fracturing of ideological consensus within the Shiv Sena-UBT's base, and come at a time when Maharashtra's political landscape remains deeply contested ahead of the state assembly elections.
Point of View
And Dubey is unlikely to be the last defection on those grounds. His public appeal to Rahul Gandhi, however, is strategically curious — framing the Congress leader's silence on Captain Machchhar as a moral failure is a Bharatiya Janata Party-adjacent argument dressed in the language of a former Sena loyalist. With Maharashtra assembly elections on the horizon, such voices — however peripheral — feed a larger narrative about the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi's ideological incoherence that the ruling alliance will seek to amplify.
NationPress
13 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Anand Dubey and why did he resign from Shiv Sena-UBT?
Anand Dubey is a former spokesperson and leader of Shiv Sena-UBT who resigned from the party citing its ideological drift toward Congress and its failure to uphold the legacy of Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar. He also objected to the party's silence on Captain Smit Machchhar's bravery.
What did Anand Dubey ask Rahul Gandhi to do?
Dubey urged Rahul Gandhi to pursue 'positive politics', support Indian industrialists over foreign entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk, and publicly congratulate Captain Smit Machchhar. He argued these steps would demonstrate Gandhi's genuine commitment to India.
Who is Captain Smit Machchhar?
Captain Smit Machchhar is an Indian pilot whom Dubey describes as a national hero who saved many lives through an act of bravery. Dubey cited the political establishment's silence on Machchhar's feat as a key reason for his disillusionment with Shiv Sena-UBT and his appeal to Rahul Gandhi.
Why does Dubey oppose Shiv Sena-UBT's alignment with Congress?
Dubey joined Shiv Sena in 2019 when it was allied with the BJP. After the coalition broke down in 2022 and the Uddhav Thackeray faction aligned with Congress, Dubey grew increasingly uncomfortable, arguing that the alliance contradicted the party's Hindutva roots and the ideology of founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
What is the broader political significance of Dubey's remarks?
Dubey's exit and public statements reflect ideological tensions within Shiv Sena-UBT's cadre as Maharashtra heads toward assembly elections. His critique of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi's direction could fuel the ruling alliance's narrative about the coalition's internal contradictions.
