Blow to Uddhav camp, Shiv Sena leader Gajanan Kirtikar joins Shinde faction

Mumbai, Nov 11: In yet another blow to Uddhav Thackeray, senior Shiv Sena faction and party MP Gajanan Kiritkar joined hands with Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde-led faction.

"Gajanan Kirtikar, a popular MP from Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency, today made a public entry into Balasaheb's Shiv Sena party. He was warmly welcomed on the occasion and wished him all the very best for his future social and political journey," tweeted Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

मुंबई उत्तर पश्चिम लोकसभा मतदारसंघाचे लोकप्रिय खासदार गजानन कीर्तिकर यांनी आज #बाळासाहेबांची_शिवसेना पक्षात जाहीर प्रवेश केला. याप्रसंगी त्यांचे मनापासून स्वागत केले तसेच भावी सामाजिक आणि राजकीय वाटचालीकरिता त्यांना शुभेच्छा दिल्या.@GajananKirtikar pic.twitter.com/vCnAK003Wt

— Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) November 11, 2022

The Shiv Sena had won 18 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in the 2019 polls, while its 19th member of the Lower House of Parliament is from neighbouring Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

The majority of the Sena MLAs, led by Shinde, rebelled against the party leadership, asking it to snap ties with the NCP and the Congress.

The revolt in the party led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led government.