Despite being allies at the state and central levels, the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena are locked in fierce competition in Thane district ahead of upcoming municipal elections. The region has long been a stronghold of Shiv Sena chief and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, making it a sensitive battleground. Tensions escalated after a series of defections and counter-defections between the two parties, prompting Shinde to travel to Delhi for talks with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reportedly promised intervention, and both leaders publicly affirmed the alliance remains strong. However, on the ground, the reality is different. Leaders from both parties acknowledge intense rivalry in nearly every municipal ward, with parallel rallies, meetings, and attempts to attract supporters from rival camps. The reintroduction of the four-member panel system for municipal elections has intensified competition, as corporators seek strong panels to ensure electoral success. Personal ambitions of key leaders, including BJP state chief Ravindra Chavan and MP Shrikant Shinde, have further complicated matters. Workers from both sides say that while the alliance may exist at higher levels, ward-level competition never stopped. The absence of most Sena ministers from a recent Cabinet meeting highlighted the depth of the rift, attributed to anger over alleged poaching of party members.
Defections Trigger Fresh Tensions Between Allies
The recent flare-up began when five BJP corporators from Ulhasnagar defected to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, with Shinde personally welcoming them. Prominent Sindhi leader Jamnu Puraswani cited neglect of veteran workers, poor decision-making by local BJP leadership, and stalled projects as reasons for switching sides. He claimed the move was not orchestrated by the Sena and that Shinde initially tried to dissuade them. In response, several Sena leaders and corporators switched to the BJP, with state BJP chief Chavan attending their induction ceremonies in Kalyan and Ulhasnagar. These tit-for-tat defections deepened mistrust. A Sena MLA warned the BJP against engineering defections, while a BJP leader countered that the Sena should focus on retaining its own members. Days after switching, one defector couple was allegedly attacked by Sena workers, with police investigating the incident.
Panel System and Personal Rivalries Fuel Competition
The reintroduction of the municipal panel system, where four-member groups contest together in each ward, has intensified the struggle for strong candidates. Leaders from both parties admit that securing stronger panels matters more than party loyalty, driving many crossovers. A BJP functionary described the panel system as a survival kit in civic politics. Personal rivalries have also sharpened the contest. In Kalyan-Dombivli, Ravindra Chavan and Shrikant Shinde are locked in direct competition, with both seeking control of the municipal corporation. In Thane and Navi Mumbai, BJP leaders like Ganesh Naik and Sanjay Kelkar are expanding influence into traditional Sena areas, unsettling local dynamics. A local leader noted that both Chavan and Shrikant have strong networks and want complete dominance. Workers say civic elections are fought at the grassroots level, where panel decisions and ticket distribution matter more than alliance labels at the top.
High-Level Talks Fail to Ease Ground-Level Distrust
The tensions reached national attention when most Sena ministers skipped a recent Cabinet meeting, openly citing anger over alleged BJP poaching. Shinde subsequently traveled to Delhi and met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Following the meeting, both parties instructed their office-bearers to avoid poaching and refrain from personally inducting rival members. Publicly, Shinde and Fadnavis asserted the alliance remains intact and united. However, district-level workers remain skeptical. A BJP insider acknowledged that while public statements are made, distrust is already deeply embedded. The lingering memory of incidents like the 2022 Sena split and last year's shooting of a Sena leader inside a police station by a BJP MLA continues to fuel resentment. A Mahayuti functionary admitted that while the alliance functions at state and central levels, competition at the ward level never stopped.
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