Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Ravindra Waikar, currently under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for alleged misuse of a civic plot to construct a luxury hotel, joined the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
This move is considered a setback for Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, given Waikar's close association and recent participation in a meeting with Uddhav Thackeray.
Waikar, representing Mumbai's Jogeshwari area, officially joined the Shinde-led faction at 'Varsha,' the official residence of the chief minister in Malabar Hill.
A former standing committee chairman of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, four-time corporator, and four-term MLA from Jogeshwari, Waikar faces an ED probe related to alleged deception of the BMC. The case involves obtaining fraudulent permission between January and July 2021 to build a luxury hotel on a plot designated for sports and entertainment purposes along Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road.
The ED's FIR alleges that the plot, intended for public use, was misused for commercial gain, leading to earnings amounting to several crores.
After joining the faction led by Eknath Shinde, Waikar emphasized his 50-year association with Shiv Sena and cited the need for constituency development. He pointed out delayed projects, especially related to roads and water supply, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Shinde is taking quick decisions on development works. If these works are not completed, I cannot face my people," stated Waikar.
He affirmed his alignment with Shiv Sena's principles inspired by the late Bal Thackeray, according to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.