Shinde-Uddhav Senas join hands against BJP in Maha ZP poll

In a surprising turn, rival Shiv Sena factions led by Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray have joined forces with NCP factions to contest local elections in Maharashtra's Barshi taluka, setting aside political differences.

IMAGE: The Shiv Sena-UBT has, on several occasions, said it will not have any truck with the Shiv Sena or the NCP. Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points

The alliance includes both Shiv Sena factions and two NCP factions, creating a united front against the BJP in the Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls.
Despite past conflicts and differing political affiliations at the state level, local interests have driven this unusual collaboration.
Eknath Shinde campaigned for the alliance, with a Sena-UBT MLA also present, highlighting the localised nature of the agreement.

Bitter rivals, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT), have come together to form a front in Barshi taluka of Maharashtra's Solapur district along with two NCP factions ahead of the local polls.

Elections to 12 Zilla Parishads (ZPs) and 125 Panchayat Samitis will be held on February 7.

The rival Shiv Sena factions, which often target each other, have forged an alliance to form a front at the taluka level in Barshi.

Shinde campaigns in presence of Sena-UBT MLA

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday campaigned for the front comprising his party, Sena-UBT, Nationalist Congress Party and Sharad Pawar-led NCP-SP. He addressed a rally at Vairag in Barshi taluka, where Sena-UBT MLA Dilip Sopal was also present.

Speaking in a lighter vein, Shinde said Sopal, a multiple-term MLA, took the wrong bus, or else he would have been in the cabinet. He was alluding to Sopal not aligning with him but with the rival Sena-UBT in the 2024 state assembly polls.

Alliance limited to local level

A Shiv Sena-UBT leader from Solapur, requesting anonymity, said the alliance between his party and three others is limited to the local level against the BJP.

"This alliance is restricted to Barshi taluka, which comprises 238 villages. It is for ZP and panchayat samiti polls...," he told PTI on Thursday.

The Shiv Sena-UBT has, on several occasions, said it will not have any truck with the Shiv Sena or the NCP.

The party leadership was also upset over the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) joining hands with the Shiv Sena in the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) in Thane district. The MNS had then defended the move, saying the alliance was done at the local level and without the approval of the party leadership.

Not the first instance

In the municipal council polls held in December last year, the two Sena factions came together and formed a front at Kankavli in Sindhudurg district, where its candidate won.

The candidate backed by Sena's Nilesh Rane defeated his challenger, who was supported by his brother and state minister Nitesh Rane, on their home turf.

2022 Sena Split

Shiv Sena split in June 2022 after Eknath Shinde rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray, along with a majority of MLAs.

Shinde then joined hands with the BJP and became the chief minister.

His party is currently a part of the Mahayuti government helmed by the BJP with the NCP as another constituent, while Sena-UBT is a member of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi.