Blow to Uddhav: UBT leader joins Shinde's faction

• Sachin Ahir filed nomination for Maharashtra Deputy Chairman post
• He nominated as Mahayuti candidate with support from ruling leaders
• The move follows six MPs recently leaving Uddhav Thackeray's faction

Mumbai, Jun 30 (PTI) In a fresh jolt to Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sachin Ahir on Tuesday filed his nomination for the post of deputy chairman of the Maharashtra legislative council on behalf

of the rival Eknath Shinde-led faction.

The surprise move by Ahir, a close confidante of Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, comes days after six MPs ditched the opposition party to join the ruling Shiv Sena.

Ahir submitted his nomination as a Mahayuti candidate in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar.

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.

Last week, six of the nine Lok Sabha members from the Uddhav Thackeray-led party joined the ruling Shiv Sena. PTI PR ND ARU