Amid Mahayuti Rumblings Shiv Sena Rebels Withdraw From Mlc Fray As Tensions Simmer

The discontent within the Mahayuti in Maharashtra over seat sharing in the Legislative Council elections from 17 Local Authority constituencies, scheduled for June 22, may have subsided, but it has exposed tensions in the ruling alliance as its leadership was forced to step in repeatedly to resolve internal disputes.

These rows were marked with resentment among the leaders of the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. According to Shiv Sena leaders, the party had sought seven seats, but eventually settled for four under the Mahayuti seat-sharing formula. While the BJP is contesting 11 seats, the Sunetra Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has been allotted two.

The arrangement triggered discontent in sections of the Shiv Sena, particularly in districts where seats were allocated to alliance partners despite local Sena leaders believing the party had a “stronger claim”.

A senior Sena leader said the issue was not just about numbers, but also the party’s shrinking political space and the BJP’s increasing dominance in districts that are considered traditional bastions of the Sena. “Many local leaders felt the Sena was not getting the political space it deserved in some regions. That frustration came out during the election process,” the leader said.

The pattern was visible across the state. The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar-Jalna constituency went to the BJP and the Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg seat went to the NCP – both constituencies cover areas where the Sena has been known to hold considerable influence.

The Jalgaon seat, which was allotted to the BJP, became part of a larger discussion over seat sharing between the BJP and the Sena. In contrast, the Thane-Palghar constituency, which remained with the Sena, did not see any tussle.

The biggest confrontation emerged in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar-Jalna after Shiv Sena MLA and former minister Abdul Sattar’s son Sameer Sattar filed his nomination as an Independent against the official BJP nominee Suhas Shirsat.

Abdul Sattar publicly criticised the BJP’s growing influence in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Jalna districts. “They had already cut off our hands and legs. Now they have cut off our head as well,” he said. Referring to the Sena’s declining presence in local institutions in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, he added: “We have no zila parishad president, no municipal corporation and now not even a Legislative Council seat.”

The dispute unfolded against the backdrop of local political battles, including the district cooperative bank election in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. With the bank controlled by Sattar’s supporters, his rebellion was seen by many as pressure tactics to control the district bank, which is considered a prominent institution in the district.

Sattar, the former state minister, also questioned why he should not expect a Cabinet berth, referring to being overlooked after the 2024 Assembly elections, and said the BJP should take Shiv Sena leaders into confidence while making political decisions.

After his meetings with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shinde in Mumbai, Sameer Sattar withdrew his MLC nomination and filed papers for the district cooperative bank elections.

A similar conflict erupted in the Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency after the seat was allotted to the NCP, which fielded Aniket Tatkare, son of state party president Sunil Tatkare.

Initial resistance came from the camp of Sena minister Bharat Gogawale, where his son Vikas Gogawale’s name had been discussed as a possible candidate. But that challenge subsided after Shinde’s intervention.

However, the matter was complicated after Juilee Dalvi, daughter of Shiv Sena MLA Mahendra Dalvi, filed her nomination as an Independent before later withdrawing it.

After Juilee’s withdrawal, Mahendra Dalvi publicly expressed his dissent and said some leaders from the Konkan region had tried to weaken his political position and said his “fight was not personal, but for the party and its prominence in the district”.

The Jalgaon constituency reflected another aspect of the dispute. Sena leaders in the North Maharashtra seat argued that the constituency should go to the party, and discussions were held over a possible Jalgaon-Nashik swap with the BJP. As per the seat-sharing deal, Nashik was allotted to the Sena and Jalgaon to the BJP.

Local Sena leaders maintained the party’s growing presence in the region justified a larger role.

With the Sena’s sitting MLC Narendra Darade set to contest from Nashik, BJP-linked aspirants Ganesh Gite and Gokul Gite decided to enter the race as Independents.

The issue was eventually resolved after discussions involving senior leaders, including BJP minister Girish Mahajan.

A BJP leader familiar with the discussions said most of the disputes were driven by local political aspirations. “Most people knew they did not have the numbers to win. But filing nominations was a way of making sure their concerns reached the top leadership,” the leader said.

Vallabh Ozarkar is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, reco... Read More