Uddhav Thackeray’s close aide Waikar joins CM Shinde’s Shiv Sena

Just days prior to the announcement of the election code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections, Ravindra Waikar, a Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA from Jogeshwari, officially joined the Shiv Sena led by CM Eknath Shinde on Sunday. Waikar had previously faced accusations of misusing BMC land designated for gardens to construct a high-end hotel, entailing a purported involvement in a Rs 500 crore scam. In January, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a raid in connection with these allegations.