Mumbai, June 30 (IANS) In a massive political jolt to Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT), the party’s Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Sachin Ahir on Tuesday switched sides to join Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena.

This high-profile defection unfolded rapidly today amid intense political manoeuvring surrounding the upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Council’s Deputy Chairman’s election.

Ahir filed his nominations for the election to the Maharashtra Legislative Council Deputy Chairman’s post.

Shinde caught the Opposition entirely off-guard by securing Ahir’s defection.

Immediately following his entry into the Shinde camp, Sachin Ahir filed his official nomination for the prestigious post of Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council.

Ahir’s departure is a direct blow to Thackeray in Mumbai, particularly in the crucial Worli Assembly constituency — the home turf of Aaditya Thackeray.

Ahir, a prominent former labour union leader and ex-MLA from Worli, carries substantial ground-level influence in the area, meaning his shift severely alters local party dynamics.

Ahir, who originally built his career as a key face of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and led the Rashtriya Mill Mazdoor Sangh, had crossed over to the undivided Shiv Sena in 2019 just before the Assembly polls. He was trusted by the Thackeray faction and rewarded with an MLC seat in 2022.

The move is being viewed across Maharashtra’s political circles as a masterstroke by Shinde to completely outmanoeuvre the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) just as the council elections approach.

Ahir’s defection comes against the backdrop of Operation Tiger implemented successfully by Shinde last week when six rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs joined him.

Shinde last week had declared that Operation Tiger was not yet complete but would continue, hinting at some more defections by legislators and corporators from the Shiv Sena (UBT) camp in days to come.

Shinde claimed that Operation Tiger was foolproof and successful, adding that six rebel UBT MPs joining the party was within the legal, constitutional and parliamentary ambit.

“We don’t do incomplete operations. Operation Tiger is a resounding, legal success. We have completed all the necessary legal formalities for this,” he noted.

Dy CM Shinde on the Shiv Sena’s anniversary on June 19 had dropped heavy hints of an impending political shift, declaring, “This is just the trailer, the movie is still to come.”

Shinde used sharp, aggressive rhetoric to hit back at Opposition leaders who have been targeting him over the defection. “People were asking what Eknath Shinde would say, who would take the stage, and what would happen? Look, this tiger stands right in front of you today!” he thundered.

–IANS

sj/rad