In a significant political development in Maharashtra, several local leaders from Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Congress have shifted allegiance to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction. This movement includes leaders from districts such as Washim, Karanja, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Akola, and Bhiwandi.
Notably, Vijay Malokar, the Akola district chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), transitioned to Shinde’s camp after being persuaded by Shiv Sena MLA Bhavana Gawali. Other prominent figures who joined include Dilip Bhojraj, state Congress secretary; Sachin Patil, Washim district general secretary of the Congress; Pramod Raut; Vijay Khaire; Bhau Thorat; Praful Gavai; and N Bhuvanchandran, the Kerala chief of Shiv Sena (UBT). This wave of defections follows the recent move of Rajul Patel, a senior woman leader and deputy leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), who cited neglect in her former party as her reason for joining Shinde’s faction.
Shiv Sena ministers Uday Samant and Sanjay Rathod have indicated that more members from the Uddhav Thackeray faction, including MPs and MLAs, are in communication with Deputy Chief Minister Shinde and may soon join his party. However, Shinde has downplayed these speculations, stating that while many individuals meet with him due to his roles overseeing the urban development department, housing department, and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, these meetings should not be interpreted politically.
In response to claims from the Congress alleging tampering with voter lists leading to the Mahayuti alliance’s victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections, Shinde dismissed these accusations. He suggested that the opposition is struggling to accept their defeat and emphasized that victories and losses are part of the democratic process. Shinde attributed his party’s success to their work and urged the opposition to prepare for future elections.
These developments highlight the shifting political landscape in Maharashtra, with Eknath Shinde’s faction gaining momentum through strategic alliances and defections from rival parties.
