In a major setback for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), veteran Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe, who is Deputy Chairperson of Maharashtra Legislative Council, joined Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s rival Sena faction on Friday.
Ms. Gorhe, who has been associated with the party for over 25 years, is the third Member of Legislative Council (MLC) to quit the Thackeray camp and defect to the ruling camp since Mr. Shinde’s intra-party revolt in June last year. Last month, Sena (UBT) spokesperson and MLC Manisha Kayande had moved to Mr. Shinde’s faction.
“The Shiv Sena under Eknath Shinde’s leadership is the official Sena. The party is heading in the right direction under Mr. Shinde’s leadership. Be it the cadre or leaders, everyone is losing confidence in Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership,” said Ms. Gorhe, who joined the Shinde Sena in the presence of the CM and Deputy CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.
