Hingoli MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar defects from Shiv Sena (UBT)

Ashtikar clarified his exit was not born of personal grievance toward Uddhav Thackeray, whom he described as a father figure, but rather a reaction to the harsh rhetoric employed by senior leadership following the missed June 18 caucus. The MP noted that he and his colleagues felt alienated by the party's tone, which rendered further cooperation untenable. Beyond the interpersonal friction, Ashtikar pointed to the systemic struggle of securing development funds. He argued that the standard 5 crore rupee MPLAD allocation is inadequate for his constituency, and that being in the opposition effectively bars his district from accessing critical state-level projects, such as those managed by the Forest Department.

The political fallout is already deepening. In swift retaliation for the rebellion, the party expelled Ashtikar’s son, Krishna Nagesh Patil, for anti-party activities. As the threat of a mass defection to Eknath Shinde’s faction looms, Uddhav Thackeray is launching a statewide outreach campaign starting June 27. The tour will target key regions, including Yavatmal, Washim, and Hingoli, in an effort to stabilize the party base, while Aaditya Thackeray has publicly labeled the departing members as driven by personal greed.