Ahead of key Maharashtra poll, Sena (UBT) leader Sachin Ahir switches to Shiv Sena

Sachin Ahir is a former MLA from Worli currently represented by Aaditya Thackeray.

Updated on: Jun 30, 2026, 16:57:29 IST

By HT News Desk

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In a setback for Shiv Sena (UBT), former MLA Sachin Ahir on Tuesday joined the faction led by Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray with son Aaditya Thackeray arrives to pay tribute to singing legend Asha Bhosle in Mumbai. (PTI)

Ahir, a former MLA from Worli and a close confidante of Aaditya Thackeray, also filed his nomination for the post of deputy chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.

Confirming the development, Shrikant Shinde said Ahir had formally joined the Shiv Sena and was handed the nomination form for the deputy chairman's election.

Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve confirmed that MLC Jagannath Abhyankar is the Maha Vikas Aghadi nominee.

Talking to reporters in the Vidhan Bhavan, state Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant said, "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."

Downplaying the development, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Raut asserted that the Uddhav Thackeray-led party has weathered several and remained intact.

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

Ahir began his political career with the Indian National Congress before moving to the Nationalist Congress Party. He later joined the undivided Shiv Sena after Aaditya Thackeray entered electoral politics from Worli, a move seen as helping the young leader secure a safer constituency.

Latest challenge for Uddhav camp

Ahir's switch comes amid continuing turbulence in the Uddhav Thackeray camp four years after the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena that saw Shinde walk away with a majority of the party's MLAs and later the party name and symbol.

The move also follows last week's defection of six Lok Sabha MPs from Sena (UBT) to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, a development that further strengthened Shinde's position within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

The six MPs had formally merged with the Shinde faction after days of speculation, with the deputy chief minister describing the switch as the "second phase" of the 2022 rebellion.

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HT News Desk
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