MLA of Shiv Sena's most prestigious seat joins rebel Shinde's camp

Three more Shiv Sena MLAs joined the rebel camp in Guwahati on Wednesday night adding to the numbers required by the Eknath Shinde faction to form a separate unit or assert its will over the party.

- Chaitanya Marpakwar

Mumbai: Among the three was Mahim MLA Sada Sarvankar, whose defection may be a sign of how deep the resentment runs against the Sena leadership. Sarvankar is an MLA from the prestigious Mahim constituency, which is the seat of Shiv Sena Bhavan and Shivaji Park where the Sena was founded. Sarvankar's shift into the Shinde camp, political observers say, highlights the extent of the disconnect between the leadership, especially chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, and his MLAs as well as the growing discontent against the rise of the Yuva Sena leaders in the party, led by Uddhav's son, environment minister Aaditya Thackeray.