Maharashtra assembly election 2019: Salman Khan’s bodyguard Shera joins Shiv Sena

Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s bodyguard Gurmeet Singh, popularly known by his nickname Shera, joined the Shiv Sena on Friday. Shera joined the Sena in the presence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray and Yuva Sena president Aaditya Thackeray.The party’s official social media handle shared photographs of Shera draped in a saffron shawl and with a sword in his hand.

अभिनेते सलमान खान जी यांचे निष्ठावंत व विश्वासू गुरमीत सिंग उर्फ शेरा जी यांनी आज मातोश्री निवासस्थानी येथे शिवसेना पक्षप्रमुख मा. श्री. उद्धव साहेब ठाकरे आणि युवासेनाप्रमुख @AUThackeray यांच्या उपस्थितीत शिवसेनेत जाहीर प्रवेश केला. pic.twitter.com/UQ2YN4CAnp

— ShivSena – शिवसेना (@ShivSena) October 18, 2019

This isn’t the first time that a Bollywood personality contributed their support to the Shiv Sena. Earlier this week, actor Sanjay Dutt came out in support of Aaditya Thackeray, calling him his ‘younger brother’.

Aaditya is set to make his electoral debut from South Mumbai’s Worli assembly segment, becoming the first Thackeray to contest elections. No member of the Thackeray has ever contested any election or held any constitutional post since the Sena was founded in 1966.

Uddhav Thackeray’s cousin and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray had earlier announced his intention to contest the 2014 state Assembly polls, but later changed his mind.

The Shiv Sena is fighting the upcoming assembly poll in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The two allies finalised a seat sharing agreement earlier this month after several rounds of negotiation. The Sena will, accordingly, contest on 124 of the 288 assembly seats and the BJP on 154.

Maharashtra will go to polls on October 21 and the counting of votes will take place on October 24.