MUMBAI, July 1 -- In another setback for Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT), its MLC Sachin Ahir joined the Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde-led camp on Tuesday, days after six of the party's Lok Sabha MPs switched sides. Ahir, a former MLA from Worli and a close confidante of UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray, was also fielded by the Shinde camp for the Maharashtra Legislative Council deputy chairperson election scheduled for July 1. Ahir's exit is seen as a significant blow to the Uddhav Thackeray camp. A prominent trade union leader who represented Worli in the assembly in 2009, Ahir has a strong organisational base in the constituency and played a key role in managing Aaditya's election campaigns in 2019 and 2024. Shinde is likely to field Ahir opposite Aaditya in the next assembly polls, party insiders said. However, Shinde declined to comment on the matter. The development came even as Uddhav and Aaditya Thackeray were engaged in damage-control efforts following the defection of six Sena (UBT) MPs. Ahir filed his nomination for the deputy chairperson's post as the Mahayuti candidate before even formally joining the rival faction later in the day. Responding to questions on whether the anti-defection law would apply to Ahir, Shinde said, "Whatever job I do is foolproof. Ahir was elected as an MLC from the Sena, which is now with me." On Tuesday, Ahir called Aaditya to inform him of his decision and later sent resignation letters to Uddhav, stepping down from his party and trade union posts, citing "unavoidable reasons". Later, Aaditya accused Ahir of abandoning the party despite being given key responsibilities. "Those who were close to us, who were given everything by the party, have defected for their selfish interests," he said. "I gave one (BMC) ward committee to his daughter, another civic committee to his brother. We made him a deputy leader in the party. He heads our unions. What more could we have done?" He, however, insisted the defection would not weaken the party in Worli. "People may come and go but Sena is strong in the Worli-Parel area," he said....