Encounter specialist Pradeep joins Shiv Sena

Mumbai : Former `encounter specialist' police officer Pradeep Sharma joined the ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra on Friday, ahead of the Assembly polls.

Sharma, one of the Mumbai police officers who were famous for killing gangsters in `encounters', resigned from the police force in July. He held the rank of senior inspector then.

According to sources, he may get ticket from the Sena for the Assembly polls. He joined the Sena in presence of party president Uddhav Thackeray, who tied `Shiv Bandhan' on his wrist.

Sena leaders sport `Shiv Bandhan', a thread, on their wrists to indicate loyalty to the party. Sharma said he was always inspired by late Bal Thackeray, the Sena's founder. "I am getting a good platform to do good work," he said.

Meanwhile, NCP leader Bhaskar Jadhav joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of Uddhav Thackeray. Jadhav, who represented Guhagar constituency, was part of the Sena before joining the NCP in 2004.

Speaking at Jadhav's induction function, Thackeray said the Sena-BJP alliance talks for the upcoming state Assembly polls were in the final stages.

"The list of seats given by the BJP will be discussed by our party leaders," Thackeray said.