Former Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Rajan Salvi resigned as the deputy leader of the party on Wednesday, citing "prevailing circumstances" in his Rajapur constituency in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district.
There is widespread speculation that Salvi will join the Shiv Sena faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. His resignation is a significant blow to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) in the coastal Konkan region, which was once its stronghold.
Salvi had lost to Shiv Sena's Kiran Samant in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections. Since then, he had openly aired his discontent with local Sena (UBT) leaders, accusing them of being responsible for his defeat. While Salvi has yet to confirm his next political move, sources within both factions indicate that discussions are underway.
Sources also revealed that Uddhav Thackeray tried to convince Salvi to remain with the party, as his exit would further weaken the already struggling Sena (UBT) in the Konkan region.
Salvi, a veteran leader, faced a tough electoral battle in the recent assembly elections, losing to Shiv Sena candidate Kiran Samant, the brother of Industries Minister Uday Samant. His political troubles deepened following the 2022 split in Shiv Sena, when he chose to remain with the Uddhav-led faction instead of joining Shinde.
In addition, Salvi found himself embroiled in legal issues, with the state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) investigating him for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. During the campaign, he expressed concerns about financial difficulties, as his accounts had been sealed.
After his defeat, Salvi met with Uddhav Thackeray to voice his dissatisfaction with the Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership, particularly senior leader Vinayak Raut. Sources within the party suggest that a key point of contention was the controversial Nanar refinery project. While Salvi supported the project, Raut strongly opposed it.
Meanwhile, the Congress leadership in Delhi has finalised the name of Harshvardhan Sapkal, Congress MLA from Buldhana and vice president of the Rajeev Gandhi Panchayat Raj Mission, as the new president of the Maharashtra Congress party. Sapkal, who is also said to be close to Rahul Gandhi, is expected to be officially announced soon.