Double Maharashtra Kesari Chandrahar Patil Joins Shinde's Shiv Sena

In a significant political development, Chandrahar Patil, a two-time Maharashtra Kesari wrestling champion, is set to join the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Patil’s induction into the party is scheduled for 5 PM today (June 9) in a grand show of strength at Nehru Nagar, Thane, where he will be accompanied by an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 supporters.

The event is expected to be a major political gathering, with several key leaders from the Shinde faction present, including Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, MP Shrikant Shinde, MP Naresh Mhaske, MP Dhairyashil Mane, Sangli MLA Suhas Babar, Minister Uday Samant, Sanjay Shirsat, Shambhuraj Desai, Prakash Abitkar, and Pratap Sarnaik. Party sources indicate that Chandrahar Patil is likely to be entrusted with a significant responsibility within the party following his entry.

Chandrahar Patil announced his decision to switch sides via a post on social media. Explaining his rationale, he stated:

“The problems in the sports sector cannot be resolved without active government involvement. Therefore, we have decided to align with the government to work towards social development and much-needed reforms in the sports sector.”

Patil’s move comes as a major setback for Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, especially in the Sangli region, where Patil had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections under the Thackeray banner. Despite his reputation and popularity, Patil secured only 55,000 votes, while Vishal Patil, contesting as an independent, won the seat decisively with 5.69 lakh votes.

This defection to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena marks not only a loss of a high-profile candidate for the Thackeray camp but also signals growing traction for the ruling faction in western Maharashtra. The political implications of this move are expected to ripple through the region in the coming weeks.