Maharashtra: Another Setback To Uddhav Camp As MP Gajanan Kirtikar Joins Eknath Shinde Faction

During an event at Ravindra Natyamandir in Prabhadevi, Kirtikar, one of the Shiv Sena's senior-most Lok Sabha MPs, joined the Eknath camp.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde And Other Party Leaders ( Image Source :Twitter/@mieknathshinde )

Lok Sabha MP Gajanan Kirtikar on Friday joined Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde's camp - Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena, becoming the 13th lower house member to abandon the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) since the Maha Vikas Aghadi mutiny in June. 

This is another blow for Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena group in Maharashtra. The development comes only days before the elections for the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai.

“Popular MP of Mumbai North West Lok Sabha Constituency Gajanan Kirtikar officially entered the party today. He was warmly welcomed on the occasion and wished him good luck for future social and political progress,” Chief Minister Shinde tweeted.

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

During an event at Ravindra Natyamandir in Prabhadevi, Kirtikar, one of the Shiv Sena's senior-most Lok Sabha MPs, joined the Eknath camp.

Kirtikar, an MP from Mumbai North West and a Thackeray supporter, was appointed to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Earlier in June, 39 Shiv Sena MLAs, including Shinde, launched a mutiny to oust the previous MVA leadership of Uddhav Thackeray. The insurgents then joined forces with the BJP to create a new government in the state.

Following the MLA mutiny, 12 MPs from the party joined the Shinde group in July.

Former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray joined Rahul Gandhi's "Bharat Jodi Yatra" earlier in the day in the Hingoli area.

Aaditya Thackeray was accompanied by members of his party, including the opposition leader in the legislative council Ambadas Danve and the former member of the state legislature Sachin Ahir. Thackeray was observed waving to the crowd gathered along the march's route.