Sachin Ahir joins Shinde’s Shiv Sena, runs for Maharashtra council deputy chair

Maharashtra legislator Sachin Ahir, a senior leader previously aligned with Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT), has switched to the Eknath Shinde‑led Shiv Sena. On June 30 he filed his nomination for the post of Deputy Chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar present at the filing.

The nomination is being put forward as the Mahayuti alliance candidate, with the election for the deputy chair scheduled for the following day. Ahir’s defection follows the recent crossing over of six Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs to the Shinde faction and is being portrayed by Mahayuti leaders as a significant setback for the Uddhav Thackeray camp, which has struggled to retain its organisational base in Mumbai since the 2022 party split.