Nitin Tiwari Switches to Shinde Sena
Nagpur: In a significant political development, Nitin Tiwari, the former city president of Shiv Sena (UBT) in Nagpur, defected to the rival Shinde Sena on Tuesday. Along with him, approximately 10 other UBT functionaries from the city also made the switch. This move has further weakened the already thin organisational base of the Uddhav Thackeray faction in Nagpur.
Induction Ceremony in Mumbai
Tiwari and his associates were formally inducted into the party at the official residence of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Mumbai. The induction was led by party MP Shrikant Shinde, who welcomed the new members into the Shinde-led faction.
Tiwari's Previous Roles
Nitin Tiwari had held several key positions within the Shiv Sena (UBT) in Nagpur, including city coordinator and city pramukh. In the past, he also served as the head of the city's Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the party. His departure is a blow to the UBT faction's presence in the region.
Reasons for Defection
Explaining his decision, Tiwari said he was inspired by Shinde's developmental politics and the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray. He stated, "I have decided to take this step after being influenced by the way Shinde works for the poor and the deprived." This reflects a shift in allegiance based on perceived governance and ideological alignment.
Other Functionaries Who Joined
The functionaries who switched sides along with Tiwari include Ashish Hadge, the city youth officer of the Yuva Sena; Bhupendra Kathane, the city organiser of the Kamgar Sena; Toren Hironde, the division pramukh of Shiv Sena (UBT) East Nagpur; and several other office-bearers from the Yuva Sena, Kamgar Sena, and Vahatuk Sena wings in the city. This collective defection underscores the growing rift within the Shiv Sena factions.
