Top News

Mumbai: In a fresh political setback for Shiv Sena (UBT), senior leader and former MLA Sachin Ahir on Tuesday joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena ahead of the Maharashtra Legislative Council deputy chairman election.

Soon after switching sides, Ahir filed his nomination for the post of deputy chairman of the Legislative Council. The move has come as a major blow to the Uddhav Thackeray camp, as Ahir was considered close to Aaditya Thackeray and had played an important role in the party’s political work in Worli.

Confirming the development, Shrikant Shinde said Ahir had formally joined the Shiv Sena and was handed the nomination form for the deputy chairman election.

Ahir has had a long political journey in Maharashtra. He began his career with the Congress, later moved to the Nationalist Congress Party and subsequently joined the undivided Shiv Sena. His entry into the Sena had come around the time Aaditya Thackeray entered electoral politics from Worli, a constituency where Ahir had considerable influence.

The defection comes at a time when the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction is already facing political turbulence. The party has been under pressure since the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena, when Eknath Shinde broke away with a majority of MLAs and later secured the party name and bow-and-arrow symbol.

Ahir’s decision also follows the recent switch of six Lok Sabha MPs from Sena (UBT) to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Shinde had described that development as the “second phase” of the 2022 rebellion.

With Ahir now joining the Shinde camp and entering the race for the deputy chairman’s post, the political battle within the Shiv Sena factions has intensified further in Maharashtra.