Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Sachin Ahir elected Maharashtra Legislative Council’s deputy Chairman as Mahayuti candidate

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MLC Sachin Ahir and Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde during a press conference at the Balasaheb Bhavan in Mumbai on June 30, 2026. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Sachin Ahir was elected unopposed to the post of deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council as a candidate of the ruling Mahayuti on Wednesday (July 1, 2026).

Opposition alliance — Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) — had fielded Jagannath Abhyankar of the Shiv Sena (UBT) for the post.

However, on the appeal of Legislative Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil, Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Anil Parab said the Opposition was withdrawing Mr. Abhyankar's candidature.

Mr. Ahir on Tuesday (June 30, 2026) filed nomination for the election to the post of deputy Chairperson as the candidate of the ruling Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, giving a fresh jolt to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).

The development came just a week after six rebel Lok Sabha MPs of the Sena (UBT) joined the Shinde-headed outfit, a key constituent of the ruling coalition Mahayuti, which also consists of the BJP and the NCP.

Mr. Ahir, a close aide of Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, submitted his nomination as the Mahayuti candidate in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and deputy Chief Ministers Shinde and Sunetra Pawar (NCP) on Tuesday (June 30, 2026).

His virtual exit from the Sena (UBT) is being seen as a massive blow to Mr. Aaditya Thackeray, the MLA from Worli in central Mumbai.

A nephew of underworld don-turned-politician Arun Gawli, Mr. Ahir was a three-time MLA of undivided NCP and also served as a minister when the Congress-NCP alliance was in power from 1999-2014.

ALSO WATCH Sachin Ahir joins Shinde faction amid fresh setback for Shiv Sena (UBT)

He also served as Mumbai city chief of the undivided NCP. Mr. Ahir lost to undivided Shiv Sena candidate Sunil Shinde in the 2014 Assembly polls.

Before Mr. Aaditya Thackeray contested and won his first Assembly polls in 2019,