Mumbai: Four years after the dramatic rebellion led by Eknath Shinde split the Shiv Sena and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) is once again facing a serious internal crisis, with several MPs reportedly moving closer to the rival Shinde-led faction. If this happens, it will be the second such split the party is witnessing in 4 years.
The latest developments have revived memories of the 2022 split, when 40 of the Shiv Sena’s 56 MLAs sided with Shinde while only 16 remained with Thackeray. In Parliament too, 13 of the party’s 18 Lok Sabha MPs eventually aligned with the Shinde camp, leaving Uddhav Thackeray with just five MPs.
Despite that setback, Thackeray rebuilt his organisation under the banner of Shiv Sena (UBT) after the Election Commission awarded the original party name and the bow-and-arrow symbol to the Shinde faction in 2023. Contesting with the flaming torch symbol, the party won nine Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 general elections, a performance widely viewed as a political comeback.
However, fresh signs of unrest emerged this week after reports suggested that six of the nine Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs had initiated steps to form a separate group and were considering joining the Shinde-led Shiv Sena. According to reports, the MPs submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, intensifying speculation of another split within the Thackeray camp.
The crisis deepened when only three of the party’s nine MPs attended a crucial parliamentary meeting called by the leadership despite a whip being issued, fuelling further rumours of an impending rebellion.
Political observers have linked the latest developments to what some leaders have described as “Operation Tiger” — an alleged effort by the Shinde faction to attract MPs from the Thackeray camp. Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders have accused their rivals of attempting to engineer defections, while rebel MPs have reportedly justified their move by alleging that the party has drifted from its original ideology.
Amid the turmoil, Uddhav Thackeray struck an emotional note while addressing party workers on the Shiv Sena’s 60th foundation day. He said he was prepared to step down as party chief if workers no longer had faith in him, but asserted that he would not hand over the party to those he accused of betraying its legacy. He also apologised to supporters as tensions within the organisation mounted.
The latest rebellion poses a significant challenge for Thackeray, who has spent the past four years rebuilding his political organisation after the 2022 split. With rival Sena factions continuing to battle over Bal Thackeray’s legacy and Maharashtra’s political future, the unfolding crisis could reshape opposition politics in the state once again.
