Ex-MNS leader joins Shiv Sena (UBT) as Uddhav Thackeray looks to strengthen base in Pune 

Shiv Sena (UBT) strengthens base in Pune as former VBA leader Vasant More re-enters party ahead of Assembly election.

With eye to the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly election, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) is looking to shore up its base in Pune after city leader Vasant More, formerly with the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), re-entered the Sena fold on Tuesday along with his supporters.

The 49-year-old Mr. More had unsuccessfully contested the Pune seat in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election on a VBA ticket after quitting Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

Despite Mr. More being touted as a formidable ‘third challenger’ in the Pune Lok Sabha fray, he came a cropper in the final run, winning just over 32,000 votes and losing heavily to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) Murlidhar Mohol who eventually won the seat.

Now, ahead of the Assembly election, Mr. More again switched colours by joining the Sena (UBT) in the presence of Mr. Thackeray, Sanjay Raut and other leaders at the Thackeray residence ‘Matoshree’ in Mumbai in what turned to be a homecoming of sorts as Mr. More had commenced his political career as a dyed-in-wool (undivided) Shiv Sena leader.

Welcoming him, Mr. Thackeray said that Mr. More would now have the responsibility of strengthening the Sena (UBT)’s presence in Pune district and expected Mr. More’s adhesion to increase the Sena (UBT)’s numbers by twofold in the district.

“You were one of our original Shiv Sainiks. While I would not say that you had lost direction when you joined other parties, I will say that you took that experience [in other parties] to see whether one got more respect by remaining outside the Sena. Today, your responsibility with us is even greater,” Mr. Thackeray said, remarking. “I want a bigger Shiv Sena in Pune ahead of the Assembly election.”

Mr. Thackeray further said that the Sena (UBT), which had won nine (of the 21 seats it contested) in the Lok Sabha election, had acted as “a preserver of Constitution and democracy” in the election.