A day after senior leader Sachin Ahir switched to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the ruling faction is now said to be making efforts to bring another member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council from the Shiv Sena (UBT) camp into its fold.
According to sources, MLC Sunil Shinde has emerged as the next leader being approached by the Shinde faction.
Sources said Sunil Shinde is among the five remaining Shiv Sena (UBT) MLCs and was elected to the Legislative Council on the undivided Shiv Sena's bow-and-arrow symbol.
This, party insiders believe, makes him a strategically important leader for the Shinde camp.
Sachin Ahir was elected to the Legislative Council in 2022 when the Shiv Sena was still united, prior to the split between the Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions. Since he was elected on the party's original symbol, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena is understood to be facing legal and procedural hurdles in taking action against him following his defection.
Similarly, Sunil Shinde was elected to the Legislative Council in 2021 when the party was undivided and also contested on the bow-and-arrow symbol. Sources said the Shinde-led Shiv Sena believes this could strengthen its position if it succeeds in bringing him into the party.
The move is also being viewed as part of the Shinde faction's strategy to further weaken the Uddhav Thackeray-led
Shiv Sena in the politically significant Worli constituency. If Sunil Shinde joins the ruling faction, he would become another senior leader from the undivided Shiv Sena to cross over. His current term in the Legislative Council is scheduled to end in 2027.
Sachin Ahir formally joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Tuesday and is expected to be appointed as the Deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
Following Ahir's defection, Sunil Shinde publicly expressed disappointment over the developments within the party.
Speaking to ABP Majha, he said the party leadership should have carried out introspection.
"Our party's senior leaders should have introspected. I had sensed the way things were progressing with Sachin Ahir. However, being a small party worker, I could not speak about it," Shinde said.
The remaining Shiv Sena (UBT) members in the Maharashtra Legislative Council are Sunil Shinde, J. M. Abhyankar, Ambadas Danve, Milind Narvekar and Anil Parab.
