Mumbai NCP chief Sachin Ahir joins Shiv Sena; Bhujbal may follow suit

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, July 25

Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) suffered a major setback when the head of its Mumbai unit, Sachin Ahir on Thursday joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray and and Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray.

Ahir is a former minister and was the NCP's MLA from the Worli constituency in Mumbai. He said he was influenced by the "good work of the Thackerays" and hence joined the Shiv Sena. However, sources say, Ahir was not in good terms with Ajit Pawar, the nephew of Maratha supremo Sharad Pawar.

Ahir also thanked the elder Pawar for his earlier support. "I met Sharad Pawar and informed him about the current situation of Worli constituency. I could not talk to him about other things," Ahir told reporters.

Ahir told PTI he had no grudge against the NCP.

"But some unavoidable political decisions had to be taken considering the prevailing situation," he said.

Ahir said a couple of days back, he met Aaditya Thackeray at a social event where the latter told him that the Shiv Sena needed leaders like him, who were "well-versed in urban politics".

"The Shiv Sena is in power in most of the municipal corporations in the state. I can use my expertise gained as a minister for the development of cities. Hence, I took the decision to work for the development of cities by being in power," he said.

Ahir said a decision on whether he will contest the forthcoming state Assembly poll from Worli will be taken soon.

The state polls are due in September-October.

Shiv Sena leaders indicated that Ahir was only the first of NCP's leaders to join the party and Chhagan Bhujbal too would soon follow suit. 

One of the founder members of the Shiv Sena, Bhujbal had fallen out with Bal Thackeray and joined the Congress under Sharad Pawar. Later he joined the NCP which was floated by Pawar in 1999. Bhujbal too is said to have developed an animosity with Ajit Pawar and was looking forward to a homecoming with the Shiv Sena.

However, Bhujbal dismissed rumours that he was joining the Shiv Sena.

"I am not leaving the NCP," he told reporters in Nashik.—with PTI