Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 1 (ANI): Shiv Sena Legislative Council member Sachin Ahir on Wednesday was elected for the post of Deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil requested the opposition to withdraw its nomination, following which the opposition candidate withdrew his nomination.
A resolution was subsequently passed in the House, and Sachin Ahir was unanimously elected as the Deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
The election for the Deputy Chairman position in the Maharashtra Legislative Council was held today at 1 pm.
The Mahayuti was contesting against Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MLC Sachin Ahir and the Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) MLC J.M. Abhyankar of Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction).
Eknath Shinde kept Sachin Ahir’s joining the party and candidacy a closely guarded secret. However, at the last minute, Sachin Ahir’s nomination was filed in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, Chandrakant Patil, and Neelam Gorhe.
Welcoming the development, Maharashtra Minister Sanjay Shirsat dismissed rumours of internal friction within the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “We all have welcomed the entry of Sachin Ahir that has just happened in our favour. No one is upset about it. These are all just rumours… Whether it’s about expanding the cabinet or getting a deputy chairperson position, everyone has such aspirations, though not everyone’s aspirations are fulfilled, so sometimes you see resentment. Eknath Shinde will try to do justice to them.”
Beyond the state level, Shirsat also highlighted the party’s expectations for a stronger presence in the central government. Citing the party’s strength of 13 to 14 MPs, he confirmed that the Chief Minister is in talks with senior leadership.
“We feel that we have 13 to 14 MPs, and whenever the cabinet is expanded, we should get a place in it. Eknath Shinde is talking to senior leaders in the centre about this. We expect to get a ministerial position in the coming days,” he added.
On Tuesday, Sachin Ahir joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Sachin Ahir’s move comes a week after six Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs crossed over to the Shinde camp as part of what the Deputy Chief Minister called “Operation Tiger.”
Meanwhile, on Sachin Ahir joining the Shinde faction, Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant said, “This is not an ‘operation’ of any kind; rather, it is a reflection of the trust placed in Eknath Shinde. Sachin Ahir has contested and won the Assembly elections three times… We are happy that a capable leader of workers, who is also a voice for farmers, has joined us today.”
He further stated that, “I do not have a list of how many or which MLAs are going to join, but it has started with Sachin Ahir.”
Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut launched a sharp attack on Sachin Ahir after the MLC switched over to Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, accusing him of abandoning the party for “greed” despite having received support from the party.
Speaking to ANI, Raut pointed to the posts Ahir had held over the years, stating, “He has received everything. Sachin Ahir was made an MLC, made the deputy leader of the party, and appointed as the working president of the Kamgar Sena. What else should anyone be given?”
“There is something called integrity, in politics as well as in personal life. He has been a very close associate of Aditya Thackeray ji. So, he cannot even claim that he wasn’t able to meet Thackeray. But now greed has grown so much, the hunger in politics has increased so much, that there is no value left for integrity and loyalty. So it’s fine, let it be,” he added. (ANI)
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