Aaditya Thackeray's close aide Rahul Kanal to join Shinde camp

In a big blow to the Shiv Sena (UBT), Yuva Sena President and Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray’s close aide Rahul Kanal is likely to join Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Kanal was a member of the core committee of Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Shiv Sena group led by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, now known as Shiv Sena (UBT).

A few weeks ago, because of internal issues, Kanal had left the Yuva Sena’s decision-making body.

Mocking the Thackerays, their bete noire and Union MSME Minister Narayan Rane’s son and MLA Nitesh Rane dropped hints of Kanal’s exit.

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The junior Rane posted a photo of Aaditya and Rahul hugging each other and attached a poster of the film Hamari Adhuri Kahani in the same tweet. 'Releasing on 1st July. Dont Miss!,” the caption reads.

When the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was in power, Kanal was rewarded with the Trusteeship of the Shri Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan Trust.

It was also expected that he would get an Assembly ticket from the Bandra area of Mumbai.

The development comes close on the heels of another senior leader, Sena (UBT) MLC and spokesperson Dr Manisha Kayande joining the Shinde camp.

Incidentally, the development coincides with the anniversary of the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government and on the eve of June 1 rally of the Shiv Sena (UBT) against the alleged corruption in the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) – which would be led by Aaditya.