As the Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) Mumbai president Sachin Ahir quit the party on Thursday to join the Shiv Sena, NCP workers celebrated by bursting crackers outside the party headquarters claiming the burden of a non-performing asset has finally been removed.
ADVERTISEMENT
“He was given the responsibility by NCP chief Sharad Pawar at a very young age to steer the party in Mumbai. He could not deliver. He personally grew but the party did not. We may have worked under him, but we are loyal to the NCP and will remain working for the party even after his departure,” Ravi Mayekar, an NCP leader from Worli, said.
The NCP held a meeting of all workers from Worli at the party headquarters, which was addressed by senior leaders. “The party grows based on workers. Those who remain loyal to the Mumbai unit of the party will be with us, and they will take the party to victory,” NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad said.
On the other hand, even though Sena leaders from Worli and Byculla were present at the time of Mr. Ahir joining the party, workers from the area said they were stunned to hear the news. According to sources, Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray is mulling contesting the polls from the Worli Assembly constituency, and Mr. Ahir’s decision to join the party was sanctioned in a bid to ensure no competition to him.
ADVERTISEMENT
In the morning, Sena MLA from Worli Sunil Shinde, when asked whether Mr. Ahir would be the party’s choice, said it would only be himself. By evening, Mr. Ahir announced he will contest from Byculla Assembly seat, giving rise to speculation that Mr. Thackeray might choose Worli to make his electoral debut.
“We had won the 2014 Assembly election against Mr. Ahir. Why does the party need him, even if Mr. Thackeray is going to contest from here? We built our base by fighting against him and now he will direct us on what to do next,” a Sena worker from Worli said.