Days after 6 Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs switched to Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, Uddhav Thackeray suffered a fresh jolt on Tuesday, this time in the state Legislative Council, as MLC Sachin Ahir left the party to join the rival camp.
Ahir, who was hitherto considered a close confidant of Aditya Thackeray, delivered one of the biggest shocks to the Sena UBT. Soon after joining Shinde Sena, he also filed his nomination for the post of Deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
He is pitted against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate MLC Jagannath Abhyankar.
What did Adity Thackeray say on Ahir?
In his first reaction to Ahir's party-hopping, Aditya said the decision revealed Ahir's lack of principles. "There must be some principles in life. If the party gives you everything, you should stand by it in difficult times," Aditya said, adding, "Bring him to me and I will ask him what the party did not give him."
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Ahir was Aditya Thackeray's right hand in Mumbai. In 2019, when Aditya decided to contest the Maharashtra Assembly polls from Worli, he brought Ahir to the undivided Shiv Sena from the NCP. Ahir was given full responsibility for the Worli constituency, which Thackeray won with over 72 per cent of the vote.
The development has also raised questions about Aditya Thackeray's political acumen and undermines Uddhav Thackeray's recent claims of strengthening the organisation.
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Talking to reporters in the Vidhan Bhavan, State Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant said, "Sachin Ahir is a senior MLC, and he has raised his voice for the people of Mumbai. I am happy that such an experienced leader is coming with the Shiv Sena. We have checked all the legal aspects, and then this decision was taken." Downplaying the development, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Raut asserted that the Uddhav Thackeray-led party has weathered several challenges and remained intact.