Maharashtra's Soil and Water Conservation Minister Shankarrao Gadakh joined the Shiv Sena on Tuesday.
Gadakh was welcomed into the party fold and tied the 'Shiv-Bandhan' on his wrist by Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, in the presence of several senior party leaders.
An Independent MLA from and the founder-president of Krantikari Shetkari Party (KSP), Nevasa in Ahmednagar district - Gadakh, 50, was the first unattached legislator to support the Shiv Sena after the 2019 Assembly elections.
Till now, he was the only Independent MLA who was a Minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition government with the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress.
With gadakh joining the party, the Shiv Sena's effective strength has increased to 57 MLAs in the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.