Mumbai, Nov 7 (PTI) In a setback to the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), one of its prominent faces in Bandra East constituency, Akhil Chitre, on Thursday joined the Shiv Sena (UBT), headed by his politically estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray.
Chitre visited ‘Matoshree’, Uddhav Thackeray’s home in Bandra, and was welcomed to the Sena (UBT) fold by party leader Aaditya Thackeray, sources said.
According to sources, Chitre, who was an office-bearer of MNS’ student wing and also the working president of Maharastra Navnirman Telecom Sena, was upset after the party fielded former Shiv Sena MLA Trupti Swant from Bandra East seat for the November 20 Maharashtra polls.
While Sena (UBT) has nominated former minister Aaditya Thackeray’s maternal cousin Varun Sardesai in the constituency, the NCP has given the ticket to sitting MLA Zeeshan Siddique.
Trupti Sawant, wife of former MLA Bala Sawant, who was a close confidant of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, joined MNS recently.
Chitre had contested on an MNS ticket from Bandra East in 2019 and secured over 11,000 votes.
Earlier in the day, he wrote a few posts on X about his association with MNS. In one such post, Chitre shared a photograph of him with Raj Thackeray when MNS’ student wing office was opened in 2006. In another post, he cautioned Raj Thackeray to be cautious of ‘badve’ (middlemen) around him. PTI KK NR
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