Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray claimed that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was “scared of the BJP” after the Shinde-led Sena moved its newly elected corporators in Mumbai to a five-star hotel on Saturday. Breaking his silence following the Mahayuti’s victory in the BMC elections, Uddhav suggested that the Shinde Sena faction could face an internal split amid a tussle for control of India’s richest municipal body.
Referring to the 2022 Shiv Sena rebellion that led to the fall of the Uddhav-Congress-NCP government and Shinde joining hands with the BJP, Uddhav said, “He knows that if they have split once, they can split again.” Sources reported that all 29 Shinde Sena corporators were directed to stay at the Taj Lands End hotel to prevent poaching or horse-trading as negotiations over the BMC leadership continue.
In the recent municipal elections, the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance won 25 of 29 civic bodies in Maharashtra, with the BJP emerging as the single-largest party in the BMC with 89 seats. However, the BJP needed support from the Shinde Sena to secure a majority of 114. The Mahayuti’s victory ended nearly three decades of Thackeray family control in Mumbai, though the Uddhav Sena–MNS combine managed 71 seats, retaining influence in the Marathi heartland.
Despite falling short of numbers for the mayoral post, Uddhav stressed that his faction remained politically relevant. “They can finish Shiv Sena on paper, but not from the soil. BJP exists only on paper; it is not visible on the ground,” he said. He also accused the ruling alliance of using “power, money, and threats” to win over defectors, while asserting that the loyalty of his workers remained strong.
Uddhav further highlighted the contrast between his rallies and those of the Mahayuti, noting that large crowds at his and Raj Thackeray’s events did not translate fully into votes for his faction. Concluding his remarks, the senior Sena leader declared that the political battle in Mumbai was far from over.
