Sachin Ahir Switches Allegiance to Shinde’s Shiv Sena

Ahir has pledged to focus on his new responsibilities under Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, framing his move as a commitment to serving all sections of society rather than specific factions. His nomination for the council post was bolstered by the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, signaling a consolidated effort by the ruling coalition to solidify its influence in the upper house.

This defection follows a broader trend of attrition within the Thackeray camp, which recently saw six of its MPs cross over to the Shinde faction. Minister Sanjay Shirsat confirmed that the alignment is part of a calculated strategy to reconfigure power dynamics ahead of upcoming legislative sessions. For the Uddhav Thackeray leadership, the loss of a senior figure like Ahir underscores the deepening challenge of maintaining party cohesion amidst persistent structural erosion.