Eknath Shinde: From autorickshaw driver to Maharashtra CM
The rise of Eknath Shinde:
From autorickshaw driver to Maharashtra CM-designate, Eknath Shinde enjoys widespread support. He is set to take over as the Chief Minister of Mahratashtra after Devendra Fadnavis extended support to the disgruntled Sena Shiv faction. Currently, Eknath Shinde represents Kopri-Pachpakhadi constituency (Thane) in the state Assembly.
Besides working in a beer brewery and driving an autorickshaw, he is today one of the most powerful leaders in the Shiv Sena. He is the first leader from outside the Thackeray clan to reach the top post.
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Eknath Shinde and former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray[/caption]
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The timeline of Maharashtra political crisis
Eknath Shinde, who triggered the political crisis in Maharashtra, has claimed the support of more than 50 MLAs. He has been elected consecutively for four terms in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly — 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019.
In 1980, he was influenced by Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray and joined the party. Once an auto-rickshaw driver, he emerged as an important leader in the Thane-Palghar region after joining politics. He is widely known for an aggressive approach towards the issues of public interest.
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Former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray[/caption]
In 1997, he contested the election of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) as a corporator and won with a majority. In 2004, he contested the Assembly elections from the Thane Assembly constituency and won it with a majority.
He also won subsequent Assembly elections in 2009, 2014 and 2019. After the 2014 elections, he was elected as the Leader of Legislative Party of the Shiv Sena and subsequently the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly.
His son, Dr Shrikant Shinde, is a surgeon by profession who got elected as an MP to the Lok Sabha from the Kalyan constituency.
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Eknath Shinde[/caption]
— PTC News with inputs from social media
