Sachin Ahir joins Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, files nomination for Council Deputy Chairman
Shiv Sena (UBT) suffered another setback on Tuesday after party MLC and former MLA Sachin Ahir joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The move marks another big setback a series of defections for Uddhav Thackeray camp. Soon after switching sides, Ahir filed his nomination for the post of Deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
The development was confirmed by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, who said Sachin Ahir had formally joined the party and submitted his nomination for the Deputy Chairman’s election.
Picturs released by the Office of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde showed Ahir filing his nomination papers in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and other senior leaders of the ruling Mahayuti alliance. The nomination papers were submitted to the Returning Officer with the backing of the ruling coalition.
A former MLA from Mumbai’s Worli constituency, Sachin Ahir is considered a close associate of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray.
His defection is likely to be viewed as another symbolic setback for the Uddhav Thackeray-led camp, which has witnessed multiple exits since the split in the undivided Shiv Sena in 2022.
Sachin Ahir began his political career with the Congress before moving to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). He later joined the undivided Shiv Sena ahead of Aaditya Thackeray’s electoral debut from Worli.
His induction into the Shiv Sena at the time was seen as a move that helped strengthen the party’s position in the constituency.
Ahir’s move comes less than a week after six Lok Sabha MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT) merged with the Eknath Shinde-led faction, further consolidating the Deputy Chief Minister’s position within the party.
Following the 2022 split, Shinde secured the support of a majority of Shiv Sena legislators. His faction was subsequently recognised as the official Shiv Sena and allotted the party’s bow-and-arrow election symbol, while the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) has continued efforts to rebuild its organisation amid repeated defections.