Former Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam returns to Shiv Sena after 19 years

Former Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam on Friday joined the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde here. The former Mumbai MP's political journey, thus, came a full circle as he had left the undivided Shiv Sena, then led by Bal Thackeray, 19 years ago.

Chief Minister Shinde welcomed Nirupam -- whom Congress had expelled for "anti-party activities" last month -- into the Sena at a function. Nirupam will work as Shiv Sena deputy leader and spokesperson, Shinde announced. Notably, the Shiv Sena has a number of 'deputy leaders'. Nirupam, 59, began his political career as editor of 'Dophar Ka Saamana', the Hindi mouthpiece of the Shiv Sena, in the 1990s, and became the party's North Indian face. He joined Congress in 2005 and was appointed general secretary of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee.

He won the Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat in the 2009 elections, defeating BJP veteran Ram Naik. He held various positions in the Grand Old Party and also headed the city unit before falling out with the state Congress leadership. After the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, Nirupam had opposed the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising Congress, NCP and the undivided Shiv Sena headed by Uddhav Thackeray.

Congress expelled him last month for six years for indiscipline and anti-party statements days after he gave a one-week ultimatum to the party over the Mumbai North-West seat which he was eyeing. As part of the seat-sharing agreement of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the seat is being contested by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).

Speaking after Nirupam's entry into the Shiv Sena, Chief Minister Shinde noted that Bal Thackeray had sent him to the Rajya Sabha twice, and his work at the national level had enhanced the Sena's reputation.

"Today, he has returned home," Shinde said, adding that Nirupam's entry will benefit the candidates of the Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP alliance in the Mumbai-Thane region, and he will also work to rally the North Indian population behind the party.