02 July,2026 10:42 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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In a boost to the ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, Independent Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Kiran Sarnaik has joined the Eknath Shinde-led party as an associate member.
Sarnaik, who represents the Amravati Teachers' constituency in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, formally joined the party late on Wednesday night in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
His induction comes amid a series of political developments that have strengthened the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, including the election of Sachin Ahir as Deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council and the recent induction of several leaders from rival parties.
Speaking to reporters after the induction, Shinde said Sarnaik had been working with him on several public issues for many years and had now formally decided to become an associate member of the Shiv Sena.
The Deputy Chief Minister said Sarnaik's experience and public outreach would further strengthen the party's presence in the state.
Sarnaik's entry is being viewed as another addition to the ruling alliance's growing support base in the Legislative Council.
Sarnaik's induction came on the same day that Sachin Ahir was elected unopposed as the Deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council as the Mahayuti alliance's candidate.
Ahir, who was previously associated with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), filed his nomination on Tuesday after switching to the ruling alliance, in a move that marked another setback for the opposition party.
His election was completed without a contest after the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) withdrew its candidate, Jagannath Abhyankar.
The election process concluded smoothly after Legislative Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil appealed to the opposition to avoid a contest.
Following the appeal, Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Anil Parab announced the withdrawal of Jagannath Abhyankar's nomination on behalf of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, paving the way for Ahir's unopposed election.
Ahir, regarded as a close associate of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, had surprised political observers by filing his nomination as the ruling alliance's candidate a day earlier.
Ahir's switch is the latest development linked to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena's political outreach, popularly referred to by party leaders as "Operation Tiger", under which the party has inducted leaders from rival political camps, particularly the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).
Last month, six Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs - Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure and Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar - joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, dealing a major blow to the opposition party.
The ruling Shiv Sena also recently inducted Gokul Gite, a BJP rebel who defeated the party's official candidate Kishore Darade in the Nashik Local Bodies Legislative Council election, as an associate member.
With the addition of Kiran Sarnaik and the election of Sachin Ahir to a key constitutional post in the Legislative Council, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena has continued to consolidate its position within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
The latest political developments are expected to further intensify the rivalry between the two Shiv Sena factions as they prepare for upcoming electoral contests in Maharashtra.
(With inputs from PTI)
