Mumbai: Shiv Sena UBT leader and MLC Sachin Ahir, who jumped ship to the Eknath Shinde camp, was on Wednesday elected unopposed as the Deputy Chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
The unanimous election was secured after the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) nominee, J M Abhyankar, withdrew his nomination candidature in adherence to the traditional conventions of the Upper House. Following the withdrawal of the opposition’s challenge, Ahir’s election to the constitutional post was formally announced.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, several ruling and opposition members, congratulated Ahir for his election, wishing him good luck.
The election follows a major political shift less than 24 hours prior, when Ahir—a prominent Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) and close confidante of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray—switched over to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction. Ahir had filed his nomination on Tuesday in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar.
Ahir’s swift elevation to the Deputy Chairperson position delivers another substantial setback to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) camp, which recently saw six of its Lok Sabha MPs switch sides.
Because Ahir was originally elected to the Legislative Council in July 2022 under the unified Shiv Sena’s ‘bow and arrow’ symbol—which is currently recognised with the Shinde faction—the transition avoids triggering anti-defection disqualification proceedings.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had welcomed the development, stating that Ahir’s extensive background in municipal coordination, legislative affairs, and Mumbai’s labour union politics will significantly strengthen the Mahayuti coalition’s functioning in the Upper House.
Meanwhile, leaders from the opposition MVA indicated that the decision to withdraw their candidate was aimed at maintaining the dignity and collaborative traditions of the state legislature.
(IANS)
