Blow to Uddhav Sena as another aide joins Shinde Sena, files Council nomination

Mumbai,UPDATED: Jun 30, 2026 14:24 IST

In a fresh setback for Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC and Aaditya Thackeray confidant Sachin Ahir on Tuesday crossed over to the rival Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and filed his nomination for the post of deputy chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council as the Mahayuti candidate. The surprise move comes just days after six of the nine Lok Sabha MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led party switched to the ruling Shiv Sena, dealing another blow to the opposition camp.

Ahir filed his nomination in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar. A former Worli MLA and two-time legislator from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Ahir had served as the Mumbai unit president of the party before joining the undivided Shiv Sena ahead of the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections.

His induction into the Shiv Sena was widely seen as a strategic move to pave the way for Aaditya Thackeray's electoral debut from the Worli Assembly constituency. A prominent labour leader with considerable support among mill workers in south Mumbai, Ahir went on to play a key role in Aaditya Thackeray's victories in the 2019 and 2024 Assembly elections.

Although Ahir remained with Uddhav Thackeray after the Shiv Sena split in 2022, he has now switched allegiance to the Shinde faction and entered the contest for the Legislative Council deputy chairman's post on behalf of the ruling alliance. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve said MLC Jagannath Abhyankar would be the Maha Vikas Aghadi's candidate for the post.

Welcoming Ahir into the party, Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant said the veteran legislator's experience would strengthen the organisation. "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 side, and then this decision was taken," Samant told reporters at the Vidhan Bhavan.

Seeking to downplay the development, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Raut said the party had survived bigger setbacks in the past.

"We have received many shocks, but the party was never finished. This shock is not a big one for Shiv Sena (UBT)," he said.

Last week, six of the nine Lok Sabha MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena joined the ruling Shiv Sena, marking one of the biggest defections from the party since the 2022 split.

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