Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde is set to give another blow to rival Shiv Sena (UBT) in Uddhav Thackeray's stronghold - Konkan. Rajan Salvi, one of the prominent leaders of Shiv Sena (UBT) in the Konkan region, is likely to join the Sena Shena, said the sources on Wednesday.
Salvi may join Shiv Sena in the presence of Shinde at 3 pm on Thursday in Thane city, they added.
Salvi, a 3-term MLA, had played an important role in the expansion of Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena in Konkan. However, he lost in the Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024.
The sources said Salvi has been upset with Thackeray for the last few months over being ignored in the party.
Rift in Maha Vikas Aghadi widens
In another development in Maharashtra politics, the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday expressed strong disapproval of its ally and NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar felicitating Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at an event in Delhi.
It was Shinde who split the Shiv Sena with the help of Amit Shah, and felicitating him was akin to honouring the BJP leader, said Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut.
Shinde was on Tuesday honoured with the Mahadji Shinde Rashtra Gaurav Puraskar at the hands of Pawar and in the presence of Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on the occasion of the 98th Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan.
Pawar heads the reception committee of the literary meet, scheduled to start next week.
Raut said Pawar should not have attended the event, as Shinde toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led government of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress in Maharashtra in 2022 by resorting to "betrayal".
"Certain things should be avoided in politics. Yesterday, Sharad Pawar did not felicitate Shinde, but he felicitated Amit Shah. This is our feeling," said the Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member, speaking to reporters in Delhi.
"Giving such an honour to someone we consider an enemy of Maharashtra is a jolt to Maharashtra's pride. Pawar must have thought differently, but such politics has not gone down well with the people of Maharashtra," Raut said.
(With PTI inputs)