Despite being part of the same alliance at the state and national levels, the BJP and Shiv Sena are locked in intense competition in Thane district ahead of upcoming civic polls. The rivalry is particularly sharp between BJP state chief Ravindra Chavan and Shrikant Shinde, the son of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, over control of municipal bodies. Tensions escalated after five BJP corporators from Ulhasnagar switched to the Shinde-led Sena, prompting retaliatory defections back to the BJP. The friction became so severe that Eknath Shinde travelled to Delhi to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah, after which both parties were reportedly instructed to stop poaching each other's members. While state leaders publicly insist the alliance remains strong, ground-level workers describe a different reality. The reintroduction of the four-member panel system in municipal elections has intensified the battle, as parties scramble to field stronger candidates regardless of party labels. In areas like Kalyan-Dombivli, Thane city, and Navi Mumbai, both sides are aggressively mobilising supporters. Workers say the fight is not about higher-level political alliances but about control over municipal panels, ward maps, and local projects. Despite official instructions to avoid further defections, local leaders admit the distrust between the two parties is already deeply entrenched.
Panel System Drives Defections and Rivalry
The civic poll conflict centres on the municipal panel system, which has been reintroduced for these elections. Except Mumbai, all 28 municipal corporations will have four-member panels contesting as units in each ward. Leaders from both parties explain that strong panels are essential for survival in civic politics. A BJP functionary noted that if a panel weakens, candidates risk losing their political relevance locally. This has led to intense competition to attract stronger candidates, irrespective of their original party affiliation. A Shinde Sena worker described the pre-poll environment as chaotic, with everyone assessing which side offers better winning prospects. Municipal elections focus on local issues like projects and ward control, making party workers prioritise ticket decisions and panel strength over broader alliance commitments. Both sides acknowledge that the panel system has blurred traditional party boundaries at the grassroots level.
Ulhasnagar Defections Spark Tit-for-Tat Moves
The recent escalation began when five BJP corporators from Ulhasnagar—Jamnu Puraswani, Prakash Makhija, Mahesh Sukhramani, Kishore Vanwari, and Meena Sonde—joined the Shinde Sena. Puraswani, a prominent Sindhi leader with over three decades in the BJP, cited neglect of old workers, unilateral decision-making by the local BJP unit, and stalled projects as reasons for leaving. He clarified that no one from the Sena approached them initially; Eknath Shinde even tried to dissuade them. In response, several Sena leaders switched to the BJP. State BJP chief Chavan personally welcomed former Sena corporators Sunita Patil, Sayali Vichare, and Mahesh Patil in Kalyan, plus Shubhangi Behnwal and her husband Manohar in Ulhasnagar. Days later, Behnwal and her husband were allegedly attacked by Sena workers. Police are investigating the incident.
Personal Rivalries Intensify Ground-Level Clashes
In Kalyan-Dombivli, the contest has become a direct rivalry between Ravindra Chavan and Shrikant Shinde. Shrikant, the MP from Kalyan, and Chavan, who hails from Dombivli, both seek complete control over the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation. Dombivli is considered a BJP stronghold due to its Marathi and Brahmin population. In Thane city and Navi Mumbai, BJP leaders like minister Ganesh Naik and MLA Sanjay Kelkar are expanding into areas traditionally dominated by the Shinde Sena, unsettling local equations. Senior leaders admit that while a truce was attempted before the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, many issues were never fully resolved. A BJP functionary acknowledged that earlier boundaries between the parties have now disappeared. At the ward level, competition never truly stopped despite the alliance at higher levels.
Source: Link