Mumbai: In his first reaction after switching sides to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, MLC Sachin Ahir, who was considered close to Aaditya Thackeray, has said he will try to bring together people of all sections of society and do justice to them.
Speaking to reporters soon after he filed his nomination for Deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council as the party's official candidate, he said, "I will honestly shoulder the responsibility given to me by Eknath Shinde. I will try to bring together people of all sections of society and do justice to them..."
Ahir was accompanied during the nomination filing by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar.
The move is being seen as another major blow to the Shiv Sena UBT, especially as Ahir was considered one of Uddhav Thackeray’s close aides and trusted leaders in Mumbai politics.
Ahir’s switch is seen to be the second phase of the Shinde led Sena's reported 'Operation Tiger' aimed at attracting leaders from the Uddhav Thackeray faction to their fold.
Interestingly, Ahir had also attended a key Shiv Sena UBT meeting held at Shivalaya in Mumbai on June 22, where senior leaders including Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray discussed political strategy ahead of the Maharashtra monsoon session.
Notably, in 2019, when Aaditya Thackeray contested his first election, Ahir, then in the NCP, was brought into the Shiv Sena and handed complete charge of Worli.
"One must have some principles in life. If the party gives you everything, you must also stand with the party in tough times. Bring him to me and I will ask him what it is that the party didn't give him," Aaditya Thackeray said, reacting to the political jolt.
