Wickets Will Keep Falling: Shinde Says After MLC’s Exit From Uddhav Faction
Welcoming Mr. Ahir into the party fold, Mr. Shinde used cricketing analogies to mock the Thackeray faction. “Recently, six MPs decided to join Shiv Sena.
Mumbai: In yet another major blow to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, MLC Sachin Ahir crossed over to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Tuesday and filed his nomination for the upcoming Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson.
The development comes just days after six UBT MPs switched sides to join the Shinde Sena. Mr. Ahir filed his nomination papers as the Shiv Sena candidate in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, and other public representatives.
Welcoming Mr. Ahir into the party fold, Mr. Shinde used cricketing analogies to mock the Thackeray faction. “Recently, six MPs decided to join Shiv Sena. Today, Mr. Ahir also decided to join us. Some people (Uddhav Thackeray) visited six constituencies, and Sachin Ahir welcomed them in Mumbai by hitting a six. In fact, the fours and sixes will continue, and the opponents’ wickets will keep falling,” Mr. Shinde said.
With the election scheduled for Wednesday, the Chief Minister expressed full confidence in Mr. Ahir’s victory. “He has filed the nomination from the Mahayuti alliance. The Mahayuti is in the majority today. Therefore, he will be elected as the Deputy Speaker tomorrow,” Mr. Shinde said
When asked whether more legislators from the Thackeray faction are in contact with him, Mr. Shinde “Wait a little, wickets will keep falling rapidly.”
Mr. Ahir, a former NCP legislator from Worli, had joined the Shiv Sena in 2019 and vacated his assembly constituency seat to make way for Aaditya Thackeray. His decision to switch sides means Aaditya Thackeray is set to face a massive political challenge in his home constituency of Worli in the upcoming elections.
Mr. Ahir said he is aware of the political criticism but he will address them on a different platform, stating he would make an honest effort to fulfill the responsibility given to him by Mr. Shinde. “It is unfair when people work with you, they are not selfish. But when the same people leave you, they are called selfish,” he said.
Meanwhile, the UBT faction downplayed the exit. Reacting to the defection, Aaditya Thackeray remarked, “We have been witnessing this exact same thing for the past four years. Those who were given everything by the party are leaving solely for their self-interest. Because we have been seeing this constantly for some time now, there is nothing new about it, and it comes as no shock to us.”
Despite the exit being considered a major setback for the Thackeray faction in Mumbai, and specifically in the Worli area, Aaditya Thackeray expressed his determination to continue the political battle, stating, “It doesn’t matter who leaves, the people are with us.”
