Mumbai, March 10 Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (SS-UBT) legislator and former Maharashtra minister Ravindra Waikar on Sunday switched to the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Waikar's move to desert SS-UBT is being seen as a major setback to the party supremo and former CM Uddhav Thackeray ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
He made the switch just a day after he had welcomed Uddhav Thackeray to Jogeshwari East -- the constituency Waikar represents in the Maharashtra Assembly.
Waikar has been under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in luxury hotel construction.
Waikar has already been questioned by the financial probe agency in this connection.
The Economic Offences Wing of the Mumbai Police had booked Waikar and five others on a complaint filed by BJP leader, Kirit Somaiya.
Waikar's exit came days after the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) told the Supreme Court that it was withdrawing its earlier order that had revoked permission granted to Waikar to build a five-star hotel in Jogeshwari East.
The civic body submitted that it will reconsider his representation.
Waikar received a major relief and immediately after the BMC's move, speculation about his switch to Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena began in the political circles of Mumbai.
However, Waikar, after joining Shinde-led Sena, in the presence of the party MP Gajanan Kirtikar, said that he has already extended his cooperation to the probe agencies and will continue to do so in the future as well.
He added that he has taken a decision to join CM Shinde-led Shiv Sena for the completion of a slew of developmental work in his (Jogeshwari East) constituency lying pending over lack of funds.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde welcomed Waikar, his family and a number of 'Shiv Sainiks' and office bearers who joined the Sena faction led by him on Sunday.
CM Shinde also promised to look into the work proposals submitted by Waikar and take the necessary decisions for their completion.
Shinde also hailed Waikar's four decades-plus political journey, saying that he was a true 'Shiv Sainik' who had worked with Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray.
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