Omraje Nimbalkar Exits Shiv Sena (UBT) to Join Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena

Big jolt to Uddhav Thackeray: Devendra Fadnavis says 'operation successful' as Omraje Nimbalkar exits Sena (UBT)

MUMBAI: In a major setback to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), rebel MP Omraje Nimbalkar on Sunday said he had decided to join the Shiv Sena and work under the leadership of Eknath Shinde. The development came as Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed the political move involving Nimbalkar, saying, “the operation is successful”.

Nimbalkar met his supporters in his constituency in Dharashiv, where he said it was important to be in power to carry out even basic development works in the constituency. The MP said that despite being an MP and party functionaries working hard, Shiv Sena (UBT) could not win even a single Panchayat Samiti or Nagar Parishad seat in Dharashiv. Nimbalkar said many good workers were defeated badly in the local body polls and that despite working 24x7 for the people, they lost because they were out of power.

The move marks a major blow for the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, which has been facing speculation over a possible split involving its MPs. Nimbalkar was among six Sena (UBT) MPs who had skipped the party’s parliamentary meeting in Delhi, triggering speculation about their political future.