Independent MLA Geeta Jain from the Mira Road-Bhayander constituency on Saturday joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of Chief Minister and party chief Uddhav Thackeray.
The joining comes a day after former senior leader of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Eknath Khadse joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), another member of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
Following her victory in the election in 2019 as an Independent MLA after defeating BJP candidate Narendra Mehta, Ms. Jain had extended support to the BJP. She was part of a team of Independent MLAs who had backed the BJP. Her entry to the Sena is seen as the second jolt to the BJP in one week.
When with the BJP, Ms. Jain was the mayor of the Mira Road-Bhayander Municipal Corporation. In 2019, she was seeking ticket to contest from the BJP but the party reposed faith in the then sitting MLA, Mr. Mehta. She contested as an Independent and won the poll.
Ms. Jain is the second Independent MLA to have joined the Sena after Water Conservation Minister Shakarrao Gadakh.
Mr. Khadse, who joined the NCP on Friday, had already said that around 12-15 sitting and former BJP MLAs were ready to switch sides. The BJP rubbished the claim.
