NCP(SP) district chief Chandrakant Patil joins Shinde camp

The MVA has seen a host of its top leaders, including party presidents, quit to join either of the Mahayuti parties, leaving hardly any top leadership still in it

NAVI MUMBAI: In a significant political development, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde on Monday formally inducted Chandrakant Patil, the Navi Mumbai district president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP), into the Shiv Sena. This is just the latest in a series of defections that have severely impacted the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the city. It also marks an escalation in the ongoing political tug-of-war within the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Navi Mumbai.

Navi Mumbai, India - Sept. 29, 2025:Shinde camp escalates Navi Mumbai turf war as NCP(SP) district chief Chandrakant Patil defects at Thane, India, on Sunday, September 29, 2025. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO)

Patil’s shift in loyalty, along with his son Vineet’s, follows recent defections by top leaders of the Congress to the Shiv Sena, which has witnessed the bulk of incoming members from various parties compared to the Ganesh Naik-led BJP in recent times. Explaining his decision after the induction, which took place at Shinde’s residence in Thane, Patil said he found Shinde unbiased during their interactions over quarry issues in Navi Mumbai.

“I feel like if I have a leader like him, I will be able to do better work for my people. I will be able to resolve Navi Mumbai issues of Mathadis (manual workers), Lower Income Groups (LIG), and project-affected persons (PAPs),” added Patil, clarifying that his decision is not driven by discontent. “When MLA Shashikant Shinde was felicitated in Vashi on becoming state NCP (SP) president, I had asked him to relieve me from the post.”

This strategic defection is viewed widely as a direct challenge to Naik’s long-standing political dominance in Navi Mumbai, which has traditionally been his stronghold. The political friction between Shinde and Naik, once a simmering undercurrent, has now become a full-blown contest for power.

Patil, who is known to be Naik’s opponent and has relatives in the BJP, was inducted in the presence of Navi Mumbai Shiv Sena leader Vijay Chougule, an arch-rival of Naik, and Thane MP Naresh Mhaske.

This political shift comes just two days after both the Shiv Sena and the BJP held separate meetings in Navi Mumbai focused on the upcoming civic elections. At the Shiv Sena’s gathering, Shinde had urged his party workers to “work hard for the elections to ensure victory in the civic elections to ensure Anand Dighe’s dream of ruling Navi Mumbai is fulfilled.” He also made it clear that he would take the final call on any alliance with the BJP.

In a parallel meeting, former BJP corporators led by Naik complained about Shinde’s actions and the perceived partiality of the civic administration. They decided to take their grievances to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding that he let the party contest elections on its own. With the rivalry now playing out on both political and administrative fronts, the induction of Patil sets the stage for a direct electoral showdown between the two Mahayuti allies for control of Navi Mumbai.

The MVA has seen a host of its top leaders, including party presidents, quit to join either of the Mahayuti parties, leaving hardly any top leadership still in it. In June, Congress’ former deputy mayor Ramakant Mhatre and party’s former city youth president Aniket Mhatre had joined Shiv Sena. Other former corporators who held top posts in their respective parties and shifted to Shinde’s Sena include Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Somnath Vaskar, Komal Vaskar, Ranganath Auti, Bharti Koli, Kashinath Pawar and Ratan Mandve. From the Congress, former deputy mayor Avinash Lad, Pranali Lad, Ankush Sonawane, Shubhangi Sonawane and from NCP (SP) Vaibhav Gaikwad and Divya Gaikwad among others shifted.