Former Congress leader Nirupam joins Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena

Former MP Sanjay Nirupam, along with his wife Geeta and daughter Shivani, joined the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde. File photo | Photo Credit: PRASHANT WAYDANDE

Having been expelled from Congress last month for “anti-party activities”, former MP Sanjay Nirupam, along with his wife Geeta and daughter Shivani, joined the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, in Thane on Friday.

For the 59-year-old leader, this move symbolises a full-circle return to his political roots, rejoining his ‘alma mater’ Shiv Sena nearly two decades after leaving the party that served as his political launchpad in the country’s financial capital.

“After 20 years, rejoining Shiv Sena feels like a ‘ghar wapasi’ (homecoming)... You are well aware of the current situation within the Congress,” Mr. Nirupam said.

His political journey began in 2005 when he joined Congress and subsequently served as the general secretary of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee. He clinched victory in the Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat during the 2009 elections, narrowly defeating BJP veteran Ram Naik in a closely contested race. Despite holding various leadership positions within Congress over the past 19 years, Mr. Nirupam’s falling out with the party leadership led to his expulsion last month for “indiscipline and anti-party statements.” This followed tension surrounding his aspirations for the Mumbai North-West Lok Sabha seat, which ultimately went to Shiv Sena (UBT) as part of a seat-sharing agreement among Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena announced Amol Kirtikar, son of incumbent MP Gajanan Kirtikar of the Shinde faction, as its candidate.

Originally from Bihar, Mr. Nirupam’s foray into politics began through journalism in the 1990s, eventually leading to a tenure as the editor of ‘Dophar Ka Saamana’, the Hindi mouthpiece of the undivided Shiv Sena. His time with the Shiv Sena ended in 2005, when he joined the Congress.

His resignation as the Mumbai Congress president following electoral setbacks in the 2017 Mumbai Civic body polls and his opposition to the formation of the MVA alliance post the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections further strained his relationship with the Congress leadership, culminating in his recent expulsion.