Maharashtra Chief Minister and Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena President Eknath Shinde is celebrating his 59th birthday today. To extend birthday greetings, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and MLA Niranjan Dawkhare on Thursday met CM Shinde at his residence in Thane. 

On the occasion of Maharashtra CM`s birthday, here are some interesting facts about Eknath Shinde. 

Also Read: Industries, projects that moved away didn`t know govt was set to change: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde

• Born on February 9, 1964, Shinde completed his Bachelor of Arts from Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University. 
• Before he started his political career, Shinde, 58, was a rickshaw driver in Thane who arrived in the ‘City of Lakes’ from Satara. 
• He got associated with the Shiv Sena when the party was growing in the state. 
• Once an auto-rickshaw driver in Thane city adjoining Mumbai, Shinde (58) quickly emerged as a key Sena leader in the Thane-Palghar region after joining politics and is known for his approach towards issues of public interest. 
• Originally hailing from Satara district in western Maharashtra, Thane district, a Sena stronghold, is now his political home. 
• Growing under the shadows of Shiv Sena stalwart Thane Anand Dighe, he became his deputy and strengthened the party after the sudden death of his colleague in 2001. 
• Shinde became a corporator in the Thane Municipal Corporation in 1997. In 2004, he was elected as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, and since then he has been a legislator for four consecutive terms- 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019. 
• Shinde was made Shiv Sena`s Thane district head in 2005. 
• His son Dr Shrikant Shinde is the sitting Lok Sabha MP from Kalyan in the district. 
• The sitting MLA from Kopri-Pachpakhadi in Thane city, Shinde never hides his humble origins. 

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