Sachin Ahir, who has been leading city NCP for a couple of years and worked in the position in the past, leaves the party to join Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena
Photos/ Rajesh Waradkar
In a shocking development, the president of Nationalist Congress Party's Mumbai chief and former minister Sachin Ahir joined the Shiv Sena on Thursday morning.
Ahir has been leading city NCP for a couple of years and worked in the position in the past as well. He was a minister of state in erstwhile Congress-NCP governments. His fall-out with Sharad Pawar-led party is seen as the result of a sense of insecurity in the opposition camp.
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Uddhav Thackeray and Sachin Ahir
Sena worked on Ahir's induction considering the Thackeray scion Aaditya's ambition to contest Assembly polls and get in the reckoning of CM's post. The junior Thackeray is expected to be a candidate from Central Mumbai's safe constituency. Ahir had represented one of these segments in the Assembly. So, he is being on Sena's side should help the party further.
Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya presided over Ahir's entry at their Kalanagar residence on Thursday.
Ahir said, "I will not break NCP further but work for growing Shiv Sena. I have great respect for Sharad Pawar and it feels bad to have left him."
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Thackeray said Ahir would not repent his decision. "I will give him (Ahir) a big responsibility in the party," he said, adding he was happy to have a leader who has his heart on Sena's side.
Ahir said that working 20 years in NCP was a great experience and leaving the party was a difficult decision. "I tried to communicate with Sharad Pawar before making a decision."
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