Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday, 30 June launched a pointed attack on his political rival Uddhav Thackeray, urging the Shiv Sena-UBT chief to reflect on his own leadership failures rather than criticising those who leave his faction. The remarks came at a press conference in Mumbai held to welcome Sachin Ahir, who crossed over from the Thackeray-led faction to Shinde's Shiv Sena and filed his nomination for the post of Maharashtra Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson.

Shinde's Sharpest Salvo

Dismissing Thackeray's allegations of engineering defections, Shinde asserted that leaders are joining his faction voluntarily, drawn by a development-first agenda. 'This is an organisation that respects its word, which is why people are joining us of their own volition. Six MPs decided to come with us recently. An MP is a public representative elected by 20 to 25 lakh people. Each one of them has stated their reasons for coming over to the Shiv Sena,' he said.

He added, 'We are not doing any demolition work; we are doing construction. We are here to unite, not to divide. Some people are only intent on crushing others, but we are here to grow the Shiv Sena. Our agenda is not the Chief Minister's chair.'

Double Standards Charge Against Thackeray Camp

Shinde accused the Thackeray-led faction of a pattern of hypocrisy — praising leaders while they remain inside the party, then vilifying them the moment they leave. 'Some people only value a person as long as they are with them. The moment they leave, they talk down on them. It has become a case of double standards. Instead of abusing those who leave the party, they should engage in self-reflection,' he said.

This is a recurring charge from the Shinde camp, which has consistently framed every defection as a referendum on Thackeray's leadership style rather than a product of political engineering.

The June 30 Coincidence

Shinde drew attention to a notable date coincidence: 30 June 2022 was the day he was sworn in as Chief Minister, marking his break from Thackeray's Sena. Exactly three years later, Ahir's induction into his faction took place on the same date. 'On June 30, 2022, I took the oath as Chief Minister to take Balasaheb (Thackeray)'s ideology forward. Today, on the exact same date, this joining is taking place. We do not believe in breaking down; we believe in building bridges. Our agenda is not the chair, but resolving the issues of the common people,' Shinde said.

Sachin Ahir's Induction and the Gaffe

At one point, Shinde accidentally referred to Sachin Ahir as 'Sachin Tendulkar' — a slip he quickly turned into a quip: 'He has hit a sixer now, and the Opposition's wickets will continue to tumble.' He praised Ahir's three-term record as an MLA and his standing among mill workers and the Koli community.

Shinde confirmed that Ahir has filed his nomination as the MahaYuti alliance candidate and that the alliance holds a comfortable majority in both Houses of the Maharashtra legislature, making his election as Deputy Chairperson virtually certain. Ahir, for his part, maintained that he has not quit any party — clarifying that he was a Shiv Sena member when first elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council in July 2022.

What This Means for Maharashtra Politics

The Ahir induction is the latest in a series of high-profile exits from the Thackeray-led faction that have steadily eroded its organisational base ahead of future electoral contests. Notably, this comes after six MPs reportedly switched to the Shinde camp — each representing constituencies of 20 to 25 lakh voters. With the MahaYuti alliance consolidating its hold over both Houses, the balance of power in Maharashtra's upper legislature appears firmly tilted in Shinde's favour for now.