2 days after Amit Shah’s Maharashtra visit, 6 BJP councillors join Shiv Sena

The six were unlikely to get a re-nomination in the next civic polls, and hence they joined the Sena, hoping for party tickets, said sources

Two days after Union home minister Amit Shah visited the Sindhudurg district in Konkan to attend a function organised by party leader Narayan Rane, six BJP councillors from the Rajya Sabha parliamentarian’s backyard joined the Shiv Sena.

Shah had visited Sindhudurg to inaugurate a medical college on Sunday. (PTI File)

The councillors from Sindhudurg’s Vaibhavwadi Municipal Council, were considered Rane’s supporters. They were inducted into the Shiv Sena by party chief and state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai on Tuesday.

One of Rane’s close aides said the six were unlikely to get a re-nomination in the next civic polls, and hence they joined the Sena, hoping for party tickets.

Uday Samant, state higher and technical education minister from Sena, who hails from Konkan region, claimed that the councillors joined the Sena because they wish for Vaibhavwadi’s development.

“The corporators realised that only the Shiv Sena can develop the region and hence joined the party,” said Samant.

Reacting to the development, Rane’s son and BJP legislator Nitesh released a video in which he called the defection a “Valentine’s Day gift” to the Shiv Sena.

“When Ranesaheb [Narayan Rane] called Uddhavji to sign the file related to the setting up of the medical college [which Shah inaugurated on Sunday], he responded positively. As Uddhavji won’t take anything from us, we decided to send our six councillors as Valentine’s Day gift to the party,” said Nitesh.

Rane’s staunch supporter Kalidas Kolambkar also suffered a setback, as his close aides Anil and Prescila Kadam joined the Sena. Prescila was the former corporator from Korba-Mithagar area at Antop Hill.