Another setback to Sena UBT, ex-BEST union chief Samant joins Shinde Sena

Shinde welcomed him into the party and said Samant’s long association with the BEST undertaking would help strengthen the organisation. Samant has been appointed a deputy leader in the Shinde-led Sena.

Samant had resigned from his post in August after the Sena (UBT)–MNS panel lost all 21 seats in the election to the BEST Employees’ Co-operative Credit Society Ltd, which was won by a panel backed by BJP legislators Prasad Lad and Pravin Darekar.“I lived honestly with Matoshree for 51 years and led the BEST Kamgar Sena for 25 years. Because of one defeat, I was forced to resign. My 51-year career was reduced to nothing in an instant,” Samant said at the joining ceremony.

He added that it was a mistake to contest the election jointly with both Thackeray brothers Uddhav and Raj. “If we had won, both would have claimed the credit; since we lost, I was blamed,” he said.

Samant also spoke about his personal loss following the death of his son soon after his resignation. “They could have waited for a month before replacing me. My 51 years of loyalty were forgotten overnight,” he said.

Explaining his move, Samant said his decision was driven by concern for the transport body and its workers.

“If I have to save BEST and its employees, ensure pensions and job security, I had no option but to go with Eknath Shinde. If BEST collapses, its employees will suffer the same fate as Mumbai’s mill workers,” he said.

Welcoming Samant, Shinde said the government would focus on reviving the loss-making BEST undertaking. “We will bring BEST out of losses and ensure the welfare of its employees,” he said.

The BEST Kamgar Sena, once among Mumbai’s most powerful labour unions, has been closely linked to the Shiv Sena’s rise in city politics and its working-class base. After the 2022 split in the party, the union remained with Uddhav Thackeray, who later appointed Sachin Ahir as its new president after Samant’s exit.

Samant’s departure adds to the growing list of senior leaders and former corporators who have crossed over to the Shinde camp in the past two years. Political observers say the move could help the Shinde-led Sena consolidate its hold among civic and transport employee, a crucial voter base in Mumbai.

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