Santosh Bangar from Kalamnuri assembly seat in Hingoli district joined the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led camp in the state assembly on Monday.
With this, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has been reduced to 16 in strength.
Bangar jumped ship just a day ahead of the crucial floor test, but did not disclose the reason behind his stunning move, as a week a go he had cried on video after Uddhav resigned as chief minister in the wake of the rebellion.
Bangar had, in fact, even stood with the Thackeray camp during the Maharashtra assembly speaker election on Sunday.
“Tears came to my eyes...,” he had tweeted, sharing a video to back the assertion.
He had also rallied against Shinde for his “betrayal” and urged the Sena chief to forge ahead during the past week’s political crisis.
“Balasaheb Thackeray, Uddhavji Thackeray tum aage badho, hum tumhare saath hain (…we are with you),” he had been heard saying as the crowd cheered.
