Another setback to Uddhav Thackeray: UBT MLC Sachin Ahir joins Shinde Shiv Sena

NEW DELHI: Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) suffered another setback as MLC Sachin Ahir joined the Eknath Shinde-led faction on Tuesday.He filed nomination for Maharashtra council deputy chairperson post as Mahayuti candidate.The latest rebellion in Shiv Sena (UBT) involves 6 of the party's nine Lok Sabha MPs crossing over to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, dealing another major blow to Uddhav Thackeray. The MPs who switched sides are Sanjay Haribhai Jadhav, Sanjay Dina Patil, Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar and Omraje Nimbalkar. Their defection reduces the Uddhav faction's strength in the Lok Sabha to just three MPs, while the Shinde-led Shiv Sena now has 13 members.The significance of the move lies in the numbers. The six MPs constitute two-thirds of Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Lok Sabha strength—the threshold required under the anti-defection law to merge with another party without inviting disqualification. Their formal induction into the Shinde camp marks the first major parliamentary split in the Uddhav-led faction since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.The split is the latest chapter in the Shiv Sena's internal battle that began in June 2022, when Eknath Shinde led a rebellion against then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, toppling the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. In February 2023, the Election Commission recognised Shinde's faction as the official Shiv Sena and allotted it the party's iconic 'bow and arrow' symbol, while Uddhav Thackeray's group was renamed Shiv Sena (UBT). Since then, both factions have been competing to claim the political and ideological legacy of party founder Balasaheb Thackeray.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.