Congress leader Devendra Amberkar swaps loyalties, joins Shiv Sena

Mumbai: Senior Congress leader and former leader of the opposition in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Devendra Amberkar has changed loyalties and joined Shiv Sena. Mr Amberkar said he quit Congress because he is “fed up of intra-party politics,” and Congress president of Mumbai Sanjay Nirupam’s “Dadagiri, casteism, and inconsideration towards the Marathi man”.

Speaking to The Asian Age, Mr Ambekar said, “I found out that Congress will not even give me a ticket this time. So I have decided to join Shiv Sena, which is giving me a ticket from my ward where I got elected from back in 2007.” Mr Ambekar said he would now contest the election from Ward number 68 around Versova this time.

Mr Amberkar was leader of the opposition, until senior leaders in the Congress asked him to step down in favour of the present leader of the opposition Pravin Chheda, in the middle of the civic body’s five-year term.