Mumbai: Marking the foundation day of the Shiv Sena, party chief Uddhav Thackeray launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Eknath Shinde led faction. Addressing a large gathering of party workers at the Shanmukhanand Hall in Sion, Thackeray accused the ruling alliance of attempting to destroy the regional identity of Maharashtra. The former Chief Minister reasserted his claim over the political legacy of Bal Thackeray, framing the ongoing conflict as a battle for the soul of the state.
The foundation day celebrations took place against the backdrop of intense political speculation regarding potential defections. Rumours of another split within the Shiv Sena UBT camp have been circulating, with reports suggesting that several Lok Sabha Members of Parliament from the Thackeray faction are in contact with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Despite the underlying tension, Thackeray maintained an aggressive posture, directing his ire at both the central leadership of the BJP and the rebel leaders who engineered the 2022 split.
During his address, Thackeray challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a direct political contest in Maharashtra. He claimed that the central government has consistently undermined regional parties to establish political hegemony. Labeling the Shinde faction as looters, the Sena UBT leader stated that public sympathy remains with his organisation. He emphasized that the upcoming civic body elections, including the prestigious Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls, would serve as a critical test for the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
The political divide was visibly prominent on the streets of Mumbai, with both factions plastering key locations like Bandra and Goregaon with rival posters and banners. While Chief Minister Eknath Shinde held a parallel show of strength at the NESCO Center in Goregaon asserting his claim as the true protector of the Sena ideology, Thackeray used his platform to issue an emotional appeal for loyalty. He argued that the real strength of the party lies in the grassroot workers rather than defecting lawmakers.
As the state gears up for crucial local body and assembly elections, the escalating war of words signals a prolonged legal and political standoff. The sharp political fragmentation has left the electorate watching a high stakes battle for regional dominance, with neither side willing to back down.