Mumbai

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday suffered a setback ahead of the BMC elections as its deputy leader Sheetal Devrukhkar-Sheth, who worked closely with Aaditya Thackeray on party initiatives, resigned from the organisation.

Announcing her decision to leave the Sena (UBT), Devrukhkar-Sheth said she would join the BJP shortly in the presence of its state president Ravindra Chavan. PTI has a copy of her resignation letter.

Elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will be held on January 15, and votes will be counted the next day.

A senior leader in the Yuva Sena, the youth wing of Sena (UBT), Devrukhkar-Sheth was a member of its core committee and was considered one of Aaditya Thackeray’s closest associates.

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She is also a member of the Mumbai University senate, the varsity's top governing body.

Sources said Devrukhkar-Sheth was asked to prepare herself for the BMC elections as the party was planning to field her. However, she never featured in any of the lists of Sena (UBT), they said.