In a major setback for the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction in Navi Mumbai, party’s city chief along with a few office bearers officially joined the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) during a function held in Sanpada on Monday. They emphasized that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has shown a commitment to addressing the concerns of party workers. Prominent figures among those departing from the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction included Dilip Ghodekar, former corporator and sub-district chief, and Vijay Mane, City chief of the party, both of whom had been associated with the party for nearly 15 years.
Announcing the names of party workers aligning with the Shiv Sena Shinde faction, Naresh Mhaske, Maharashtra Region Coordinator, stated that they have returned to the original Shiv Sena fold. "Now, we will have a Shiv Sena (Shinde) faction MP in Thane, a Mayor in Navi Mumbai, and MLAs in Thane district. All elections will be contested under the Grand Alliance (Mahayuti), and all candidates will receive comprehensive support from the party," remarked Mhaske. Simultaneously, he criticized the Navi Mumbai District Head of Shiv Sena (UBT) and Thane MP during the event. Upon leaving the party, Mane alleged that senior party leaders had consistently overlooked him. "We were not given the importance we deserved in the party. In contrast, issues of office bearers in the Shinde faction are promptly addressed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde himself," noted Mane.
Shiv Sena upneta and former NMMC commissioner Vijay Nahata claimed that more senior party workers would soon join the Shinde faction, emphasizing that the anticipated downfall of the Shinde government on December 7 did not materialize. Nahata, while welcoming the new members, contended that no MLAs would be disqualified and asserted, "In fact, many MLAs of the Uddhav group will face disqualification." Vitthal More, District President of the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, expressed disappointment, stating that those who departed from the party had prioritized personal gain over responsibility. “Earlier, the Shinde faction claimed that 107 officer bearers would join them. However, in the event, a handful of workers joined them,” said More. He added that those who left the party would never be taken back.