Maharashtra polls: Nine Worli defectors return to Shiv Sena (UBT); setback to Deora, Shinde | Mumbai news

Mumbai: In a significant setback to the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister and its candidate Milind Deora, nine party office bearers, including three shakha pramukhs and an assembly coordinator, have defected to the Shiv Sena (UBT) in the presence of party leader and sitting Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray. Simultaneously, in the Bandra East constituency, former Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) candidate Akhil Chitre has abandoned his party to join the Thackeray faction.

Worli is witnessing a three-way contest between Aaditya Thackeray, MNS candidate Sandeep Deshpande, and Chief Minister Shinde’s nominee, Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora.

The nine prominent Shiv Sena functionaries who switched allegiance to the Thackeray faction on Thursday include Renuka Tambe (Women Deputy Division Chief), Vijaya Mahajan (Worli Assembly Coordinator), Shrikant Jawale (Shakha Pramukh of Shakha No. 196), Santosh Shinde (Shakha Pramukh 198), Dnyandev Sanas (Shakha Pramukh 199), Anwar Durani (Minority Cell Worli Constituency), Atharva Rane (Youth Coordinator Shakha No. 196), Mohini Mohite (Coordinator Shakha 195), and Reshma Dhotre (Shakha 195). Local Nationalist Congress Party member Sheela Singh and Prahar office bearer Nikhil Sawant also joined the Thackeray faction.

“The Maharashtra-loving office bearers from CM Shinde faction who were upset with the loot of Mumbai and Maharashtra today joined Shiv Sena (UBT). I welcomed them in party,” said Aaditya Thackeray.

The return of local party leaders from Worli to the Thackeray faction drew criticism from Sena candidate Milind Deora, who alleged that Shiv Sena (UBT) had initiated divisive politics in Worli. “The politics of defection has started in Worli. As Thackeray faction is sensing defeat in Worli constituency, today they split our party here. Now they should not accuse anyone of politics of defection. If they would have done the development works in Worli there was no need of such politics,” he remarked.

In Bandra East constituency, former MNS candidate Akhil Chitre left his party to support Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Varun Sardesai. “MNS has inducted a women leader who has not joined the party for winning the elections but to defeat the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate by splitting the votes. She has hand in gloves with Congress candidate Zishan Siddique. As I don’t support such politics of our party, I have decided to return to original party. I started my journey with Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena, a student wing of Shiv Sena. Now I am back in the party again,” said Chitre.