Uddhav Thackeray asserts that his alliance with MNS chief Raj Thackeray is permanent, dismissing speculation about their unity ahead of civic elections.
The Sindhudurg police on Saturday registered an FIR against Nilesh Rane, an MLA of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, for "trespassing" into a BJP supporter's house. The Shiv Sena leader had 'raided' the BJP supporter's home and claimed to have found bags of cash meant for distribution to voters ahead of civic polls.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam has urged Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) owner Shah Rukh Khan to remove Bangladesh cricketer Mustafizur Rahman from the team.
Police in Thane have arrested two key suspects, including the alleged shooter, in connection with the murder of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar. The arrests of Nikhil Yadav and Nitesh Pawar followed technical surveillance, providing crucial leads into the crime that had previously caused tensions among party workers. Investigations are ongoing to determine the motive and apprehend the remaining absconding suspects, with the victim's son accusing a former Thane mayor and her husband of involvement.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare has called for a CBI probe into the murder of party leader Pradeep Purnekar in Thane, alleging it was a contract killing and citing potential political pressure on local police. Opposition parties have also announced a protest march to the Thane police commissioner's office, while Shiv Sena MP Jyoti Waghmare accused opposition leaders of politicising the tragedy. Police have made arrests in connection with the murder.
The Shiv Sena secured a narrow victory over its ally BJP in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) elections. With no party securing a clear majority, negotiations and strategic discussions are expected.
Local Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar was shot and assaulted by unidentified assailants in Thane, Maharashtra, leading to his death during treatment. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday night, has sparked tension and concern, with police investigating potential motives like political rivalry and personal enmity. Authorities have launched a manhunt, setting up checkpoints to apprehend the suspects.
The Supreme Court is examining the Election Commission's decision to allot the Shiv Sena's bow-and-arrow symbol to the Eknath Shinde faction. The court questioned the validity of relying primarily on legislative strength, particularly when MLAs face disqualification. Arguments from the Shinde faction defended the EC's test, while the court raised concerns about the "sentiment of the symbol" for defectors and the practicalities of assessing grassroots support. The hearing remains inconclusive.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced the suspension of Shiv Sena Palghar city president Rahul Gharat following an alleged assault on hospital staff, including a doctor, by party functionaries. The incident occurred at Relief Hospital in Palghar over a dispute concerning medical bills for Dahi Handi participants. Shinde condemned the violence, stating that such behaviour would not be tolerated and that grievances should be addressed through legal channels.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has approached the Supreme Court to challenge Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's decision to approve the merger of six of its MPs with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The plea was mentioned before a bench for an urgent hearing.
The Supreme Court resumed hearing pleas challenging the Maharashtra Speaker's decision regarding the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLAs and the Election Commission's recognition of the Shinde faction as the "real" Shiv Sena. Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, representing the Shinde camp, argued that the EC has jurisdiction under Article 324 to examine a party's democratic character and organisational structure, especially when the Thackeray faction's constitution was not registered with the poll panel. He emphasised that the Shinde faction's case is based on a split within the political party, not just its legislative wing, citing cadre discontent. The hearing remains inconclusive.
More than a dozen Shiv Sena functionaries, including district and city unit chiefs and an MLA's son, have been booked for allegedly assaulting, abusing, and threatening hospital staff in Palghar. The incident occurred after 'govindas' injured during Dahi Handi celebrations were brought for treatment, and a dispute arose over medical bills. The NCP (SP) has condemned the incident, calling it an attack on the medical system and the rule of law, and demanded strict action.
The Supreme Court has questioned the reliability of legislative majority as the sole determinant for political party ownership, especially when disqualification proceedings are pending against the very legislators forming that majority. This query arose during arguments concerning the Shiv Sena faction dispute between Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray.
The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for January 21 on pleas challenging the Election Commission's decision to allot the 'bow and arrow' symbol to the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena. The court will also hear arguments on a similar dispute concerning the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on January 22.
Shiv Sena leader Shahajibapu Patil accuses the BJP of undermining him politically by supporting his rival in Sangola during the Maharashtra assembly elections. He claims the BJP helped PWP candidate Babasaheb Deshmukh despite his support for the BJP in the Lok Sabha election.
The Supreme Court has stayed the Bombay High Court's order granting bail to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre, who is accused of assaulting doctors at a Thane hospital. The apex court emphasised that the medical fraternity must not be attacked, directing Mhatre to surrender within three days.
The Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has suspended the license of a caterer that operates the canteen at the MLA hostel in Mumbai, after a Shiv Sena legislator assaulted a staffer for allegedly serving stale food.
The Supreme Court has questioned the Election Commission's decision to allot the Shiv Sena's bow-and-arrow symbol to the Eknath Shinde faction, asking if the possibility of denying the symbol to both factions was adequately considered. The court also raised concerns about using legislative majority as a test while disqualification proceedings against MLAs were pending. The Shinde faction argued for the validity of the legislative majority test, citing significant vote share and legal precedents.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has summoned former Thane city mayor Meenakshi Shinde for questioning in connection with the murder of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar last month. Her husband, Rajendra Shinde, was previously questioned. The Purnekar family has accused the Shinde couple of orchestrating the killing, which Meenakshi Shinde denies. Five individuals have been arrested in the ongoing probe.
Maharashtra Minister Ashish Shelar has accused the Shiv Sena (UBT) of mismanaging the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), alleging that the opposition party and contractors misappropriated funds for the BRIMSTOWAD drainage system and Mithi River cleaning. Shelar claimed that the Sena (UBT) and BMC contractors looted Mumbai and did not complete the BRIMSTOWAD project work in 25 years, which could have saved Mumbai from flooding. He also alleged that Rs 1,000 crores were spent by the BMC on bogus Mithi River cleaning. Shelar's accusations come amidst heavy rainfall in Mumbai, which has exacerbated the city's monsoon woes. The incomplete BRIMSTOWAD project and inadequate desilting of nullahs have drawn criticism for the city's unpreparedness.
Shiv Sena functionary Rahool Kanal has said that comedian Kunal Kamra, who is facing a police case in Mumbai for making a derogatory remark against Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, will be welcomed in "Shiv Sena-style" when he comes to the city. Kanal also said the party has written to the Mumbai police demanding a probe against Kamra under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) over foreign funding and unaccounted money. Kamra was summoned to appear before the Mumbai police on March 31 in a case related to derogatory remarks against Shinde. The Madras High Court granted interim anticipatory bail to the comedian on the condition that he execute a bond to the satisfaction of the judicial magistrate at Vanur in Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that the Election Commission's (EC) determination as to which group constitutes the political party should come after a decision on the disqualification proceedings against the MLAs, who have deserted their camp.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Raj and Uddhav Thackeray, are organising a mass protest march in Mumbai on October 4 against the Election Commission. They accuse the EC of acting as a "branch of the ruling party" and allege "gross deception" of voters, calling for broader political and public participation.
The Uddhav Thackeray faction has told the Supreme Court that the Election Commission's decision to recognise the Eknath Shinde-led unit as the "real Shiv Sena" and grant it the 'bow-and-arrow' symbol was unlawful. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that a split in a legislature party cannot, by itself, amount to a split in the political party, challenging the very basis of the poll panel's jurisdiction and its disregard for the party's 2018 constitution.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has demanded the Bharat Ratna for Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray, calling for the highest civilian honor to be bestowed upon the late leader on the occasion of his 99th birth anniversary. Party leader Sanjay Raut criticized the BJP-led government for awarding the Bharat Ratna to individuals he deemed undeserving and argued that Thackeray, who he described as the "sower of Hindutva seeds," deserves the honor. Raut also emphasized the significance of Thackeray's upcoming birth centenary, asserting that awarding him the Bharat Ratna before the centenary would also be an honor for Veer Savarkar.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has approved the merger of six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and allowed separate seating for 20 rebel TMC lawmakers who joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), ahead of the Monsoon session.
Thackeray on Sunday called a meeting of party MPs. Of the nine Lok Sabha members, only four --- Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, Rajabhau Waze and Sanjay Patil --- attended the meeting in person, while Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar and Sanjay Deshmukh attended online.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has summoned Rajendra Shinde, husband of former Thane mayor Meenaxi Shinde, for questioning in connection with the murder of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar. Purnekar's son accused the couple of orchestrating the killing. Police have already arrested several alleged assailants in the case.
The opposition party is likely to use this new-age technology to reach out to a wider section of people, specially youngsters who are tech-savvy.
A political controversy has erupted in Navi Mumbai after thousands of SIR forms, used for voter list revision, were allegedly found at a photocopy shop. This led to a clash between Shiv Sena (UBT) and BJP activists, with allegations of voter list manipulation and questions raised about the transparency of the electoral process.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray criticised the BJP, accusing it of betraying Hindus by allegedly embezzling donations for the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He vowed to lead protests for "BJP-mukt Ram" and questioned the BJP's Hindutva, calling it a "Pakistan Janata Party" for its alleged party-splitting tactics and questioning citizenship. Thackeray also targeted rebel MPs, including Sanjay Deshmukh, for their defection.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has accused the Centre of orchestrating a political conspiracy through the CBI's FIR in the Disha Salian death case. Raut claims the probe is designed to tarnish the Thackeray family's reputation and target Aaditya Thackeray, linking it to broader political manoeuvres and an ongoing Supreme Court case.
Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary Pradeep Purnekar was brutally murdered in Thane, Maharashtra, leading to one arrest and one detention. The incident has sparked widespread protests, with party leaders like Aaditya Thackeray and Sanjay Raut alleging political rivalry and demanding further arrests, including a former mayor and her husband. Police are investigating all potential angles, including personal enmity and Purnekar's activism against the builder lobby and drug networks.
Former Thane mayor Meenakshi Shinde has vehemently denied any involvement in the murder of Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary Pradeep Purnekar, dismissing accusations made by the victim's son and opposition leaders as baseless. Shinde called for an impartial police investigation and expressed her readiness to cooperate, while also cautioning against political mudslinging. The police have formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the murder, which has also drawn criticism from Thane MP Naresh Mhaske against Sena (UBT) leaders for politicising the incident.
Two Lok Sabha MPs from Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena-UBT, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, have confirmed their defection to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, citing reasons including a fund crunch and Thackeray's absence from local body polls. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde have virtually acknowledged the success of 'Operation Tiger', aimed at splitting Thackeray's faction.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) is facing a potential crisis as speculation mounts that 'six to seven' of its nine Lok Sabha MPs are considering switching allegiance to the Eknath Shinde-led ruling Shiv Sena, with some reportedly camping in New Delhi.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is set to make crucial decisions regarding the status of rebel factions from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Shiv Sena (UBT) before the Monsoon session of Parliament begins on July 20, following demands for their disqualification by their parent parties.
BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar has attributed the rise in crime in Thane to the booming real estate sector, particularly redevelopment and cluster development projects. His statement follows the murder of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar, highlighting concerns about anti-social elements emerging amidst rapid urbanisation.
Shiv Sena MLA Narendra Bhondekar has resigned from all party posts after expressing disappointment at not being included in the Maharashtra cabinet. Bhondekar, who was the Shiv Sena's deputy leader and co-ordinator for eastern Vidarbha districts, claimed his party head and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had promised him a cabinet berth. He said he intended to secure a cabinet post to become the guardian minister of Bhandara district, but he will now serve as an ordinary party worker.
Mumbai witnessed a second consecutive day of protests by Opposition parties and residents, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET fiasco and condemning the police crackdown on a CJP-led march in Delhi.
