Akhil Chitre defects from MNS to Shiv Sena (UBT), criticises Raj Thackeray's leadership

Varun Sardesai, Akhil Chitre and Aaditya Thackeray on Thursday; (right) Akhil Chitre

In a surprising political move, Akhil Chitre, a local Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader, has defected to the Shiv Sena (UBT), expressing disillusionment with MNS's current political strategy. Chitre has pledged his support to ensure the victory of Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Varun Sardesai in the Bandra East Assembly constituency, vowing to work against his former party's candidate.

Chitre, who spent 18 years with MNS, expressed that the ideology that once fuelled his loyalty now feels compromised. "For the last 18 years, I have been working with this political party for a cause, a vision, and an ideology that was sacrosanct to me. That ideology now seems lost," Chitre stated. He condemned MNS's approach of fielding candidates solely to split votes and weaken other contenders rather than striving for a clear victory. "They have fielded Trupti Sawant with the sole intention of splitting votes and harming Varun Sardesai. I don't want to be part of such gimmicks," Chitre said, clarifying that he could no longer align himself with MNS's tactics.

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Chitre and his supporters officially joined Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday, with senior leaders Aaditya Thackeray, sitting MLA and Worli candidate, and Bandra East candidate Varun Sardesai welcoming them. "I believe change can come only under the leadership of Aaditya Thackeray," Chitre stated, signalling his confidence in Sena (UBT)'s vision.

Upon joining, Chitre issued a sharp critique of the Raj Thackeray-led MNS. In a message shared on social media platform X, Chitre wrote, "Finally, they succeeded in pushing me out of the party... The only regret is that the dagger was not thrust from the front, nor from behind, but from someone sitting beside me... Rajsaheb, you truly are surrounded by sycophants; be cautious.... Anyway, Jai Maharashtra!"

In another post, Chitre shared a nostalgic photograph from MNS's first office inauguration in Mumbai in 2006, where he appears alongside Raj Thackeray, reflecting on the dedication and camaraderie of his early years with the party.

Chitre previously served as the general secretary of MNS's youth wing, Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS), and in 2019, contested from Bandra East, securing 10,648 votes. Trupti Sawant, then running independently, also played a role in splitting votes, a factor that contributed to Congress candidate Zeeshan Siddique's win over Shiv Sena's Vishwanath Mahadeshwar.

Now facing criticism for his defection, some speculate that Chitre's exit was motivated by his disappointment over being overlooked for an MNS ticket in Bandra East, where Trupti Sawant was chosen instead. MNS insiders, however, defend the decision, arguing that Sawant's strong voter base and grassroots work made her the ideal candidate for the region. "Every party has its political strategies. Sawant has been working on the ground and was fielded in Bandra East based on her merit. If Chitre was truly loyal to MNS and Rajsaheb, he should have accepted the party's decision," remarked an MNS office-bearer.