Mumbai, July 1: MLC Sachin Ahir has been elected unopposed as the Deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council. This election took place just a day after he switched allegiance from the Shiv Sena (UBT) to the faction led by Eknath Shinde.
The unopposed election was made possible after the opposition’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate, J.M. Abhyankar, withdrew his nomination, adhering to the traditional practices of the upper house. With the opposition’s challenge removed, Ahir’s election to this constitutional position was formally announced.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Sunetra Pawar, along with several members from both the ruling and opposition parties, congratulated Ahir on his election and extended their best wishes.
This election comes on the heels of a significant political shift that occurred less than 24 hours earlier, when Ahir, a close associate of Aditya Thackeray from the Shiv Sena (UBT), joined the Eknath Shinde-led faction. On Tuesday, he submitted his nomination in the presence of Chief Minister Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Shinde, and Sunetra Pawar.
Ahir’s rapid ascension to the Deputy Chairman position marks another major setback for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), which recently saw six Lok Sabha MPs switch sides.
Since Ahir was originally elected to the Legislative Council in July 2022 under the united Shiv Sena’s ‘Dhanush-Baan’ election symbol, which is now recognized by the Shinde faction, this change does not trigger anti-defection proceedings.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde remarked that Ahir’s extensive experience in municipal coordination, legislative affairs, and labor union politics in Mumbai will significantly strengthen the functioning of the Mahayuti coalition in the upper house.
Meanwhile, leaders from the opposition MVA indicated that their decision to withdraw their candidate was aimed at preserving the dignity and cooperative traditions of the state legislature.
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