Big setback for Uddhav, senior party leader from Kalyan joins Shiv Sena

Kalyan: In a big setback for Uddhav Thackeray and his party Shiv Sena (UBT), Arvind More, the party’s deputy zilla chief, along with five others from the party joined Shiv Sena on Thursday.

More joined Sena in the presence of chief minister Eknath Shinde and was offered the position of zilla chief for Kalyan West and Murbad Vidhan Sabha constituency.

More, a senior leader, has a stronghold in the Kalyan region and has been the chief of the hawkers’ union in the city. An ex-corporator of Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), More played a vital role in the party all these years.

“I respect the position that has been offered to me by the chief minister and I look forward to giving my best for the region. The decision to join CM Shinde-led Sena is to work for the development of my region under our government,” said More.

A party worker from the Uddhav Thackeray faction who did not wish to be named said, “Yes, it is a setback as he was one of the prominent leaders who worked on the ground for the party. His decision will be respected, however, there is nothing we can comment on him joining their party.”