Mumbai | In a fresh jolt to the Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT), its MLC Sachin Ahir on Tuesday filed nomination for the election to the post of Maharashtra Legislative Council deputy chairperson as the candidate of the ruling Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The development comes just a week after 6 rebel Lok Sabha MPs of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party joined the Shinde-headed outfit, a key constituent of the ruling coalition Mahayuti, which also consists of the BJP and the NCP.
Ahir, a close aide of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, submitted his nomination as the Mahayuti candidate in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Deputy Chief Ministers Shinde and Sunetra Pawar (NCP).
Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve said party MLC Jagannath Abhyankar is the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) nominee for the election scheduled for Wednesday (July 1).
Talking to reporters, Ahir, who was elected an MLC of the undivided Shiv Sena, insisted he has not quit the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.
Ahir's virtual exit from the Shiv Sena (UBT) is being seen as a massive blow to Aaditya Thackeray, the MLA from Worli in central Mumbai.
A nephew of underworld don-turned-politician Arun Gawli, Ahir was a three-time MLA of united NCP and also served as a minister when the Congress-NCP alliance was in power from 1999-2014.
He also served as Mumbai city chief of the undivided NCP. Ahir lost to undivided Shiv Sena candidate Sunil Shinde in the 2014 assembly polls.
Before Aaditya Thackeray contested and won his first assembly polls in 2019, Ahir joined the undivided Shiv Sena. Since then, Ahir became Aaditya Thackeray's close aide and was entrusted with several organisational responsibilities, including handling the trade union controlled by the party.
In 2022, Ahir was elected as a member of the legislative council.
Addressing a news conference, with Deputy CM Shinde sitting besides him, Ahir thanked the Shiv Sena president for reposing faith in him.
"Some people will criticise me, but it is unfortunate to criticise those who take a different stand. I will respond to political comments on a separate platform," maintained Ahir, who will complete his six-year term as an MLC in 2028.
In a dig at Aaditya Thackeray, Ahir remarked that when someone joins a party, he is welcomed, but when someone leaves, he is termed selfish.
Ahir maintained that he has always discharged every responsibility entrusted to him by the Shiv Sena (UBT) and asserted, "I have not left the party."
Shinde hailed Ahir as a grassroots worker with close links to party workers, saying his decision to align with the Mahayuti would strengthen the Shiv Sena in Mumbai, Pune and other parts of Maharashtra.
"Shiv Sena legislators had elected Sachin Ahir to the legislative council earlier, and the ruling party is now backing him for the post of deputy chairperson. When Ahir became an MLC, it was our legislators who voted for him. He was elected to the Upper House by Shiv Sena MLAs who had won on the 'bow and arrow' symbol. He is still with us now," Shinde told reporters.
Referring to the timing of Ahir's nomination, Shinde said it was a coincidence that he filed his papers on June 30, recalling him taking oath as the chief minister in 2022 on this day after splitting the Shiv Sena and joining hands with the BJP.
"We are not here to break anything. We are connecting with new people, and they are joining us," the deputy CM opined.
Reacting to Ahir's exit, Aaditya Thackeray said his decision to align with the Mahayuti will not have any impact on his party or the MVA, claiming the alleged poaching of Opposition leaders is not "Operation Tiger" but "Operation Devendra Fadnavis".
Targeting his one-time close aide, the Worli MLA rued some leaders get everything, but still leave the party for selfish interests.
"There is nothing new in it. Worli and Shivdi (also in Mumbai) have been our fortress, and they will remain so. This does not mean we have suffered a major shock," he insisted.
Questioning Ahir's decision, Aaditya Thackeray pointed out that the former minister had been given several important responsibilities in the party.
"He cannot even claim I didn't meet him or didn't find time for him because we travelled together from Pune a few days ago. He is a deputy leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), was made an MLC, and his daughter's NGO was given a place in a ward-level committee. He holds a position in the Bharatiya Kamgar Sena and heads the BEST union. What else did he want? Did we give him less?" he asked.
The Junior Thackeray questioned how he could sit alongside those facing "allegations related to the Ram temple donation theft, the alleged Ujjain land scam and those trying to change the Constitution given by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar?"
Responding to remarks by Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Uddhav and Aaditya Thackeray that it was "Operation Devendra Fadnavis" rather than "Operation Tiger", Shinde claimed in 2019, Fadnavis had made "50 calls" to Uddhav, but none were answered.
"I am a witness to it. During the MVA government, language such as 'either you will survive, or I will' was used. False cases were filed, and police were sent to the 'Sagar' bungalow (of Fadnavis). Now, he (Uddhav) is suddenly expressing concerns for Fadnavis. These are crocodile tears, and Fadnavis knows it very well," Shinde added.
