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Indian Express
7 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Eye on BMC polls, Shinde Sena ties up with Republican Sena in Dalit outreach
Grappling with various challenges from within and outside the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Eknath Shinde has joined hands with the Republican Sena led by Anandraj Ambedkar, grandson of B R Ambedkar, ahead of the state's local body elections slated later this year. Both Shinde and Anandraj together made this announcement at a press conference in Mumbai Wednesday. The Shinde Sena seems to have forged this alliance with a view to boosting its prospects in the upcoming local body elections, especially the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. It indicated Shinde's bid to expand the Sena's support base beyond Marathis to include Dalits. Republican Sena is known for having a base among Dalits and the poor and downtrodden, especially in pockets of Mumbai and some places in the Vidarbha region. The tie-up has come amid growing buzz of an alliance between Shinde's arch rival and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin and MNS chief Raj Thackeray as part of their attempts to consolidate the Marathi votes for the local body polls. The Uddhav-led Sena had earlier dominated the BMC. Besides this formidable challenge, Shinde is facing a friction in his relations with the state BJP leadership over power sharing, even as the Shiv Sena is also reeling from various rows involving some of his MLAs and ministers. While addressing the press conference along with Anandraj, Shinde said, 'I have always upheld my identity as someone who is dedicated to common man. The alliance with Anandraj Ambedkar is a step forward to reach out and accommodate those segments who are poor, needy and backward.' Noting that the strength of any organisation is dependent on its workers, Shinde said the leaders should always stand by their workers during crises. He said common people also expect their leaders to give them a helping hand in times of hardship. On his part, Anandraj said their ideological differences would not come in the way of their tie-up. 'Both Shiv Sena and Republican Sena follow Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution. There are no ideological differences as we are both committed to welfare of the poor, oppressed and backward,' he said. When Shinde was the CM during the previous Mahayuti regime, he had hosted several Buddhist monks and their followers at his then official residence 'Varsha', Anandraj said. 'Today, we pledge unconditional support to Shiv Sena. All we expect is our workers' concerns should be accommodated and that they get a participatory role in the local bodies polls,' he said. Who is Anandraj Ambedkar? Anandraj is the younger brother of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar. They had earlier been part of the Republican Party of India (RPI). In 1998, Anandraj founded the Republican Sena. Although based on Ambedkar's philosophy like other RPI factions, the Republican Sena has a limited presence in the state. In contrast, Prakash Ambedkar has been rooted in state politics for several decades, and has a wider acceptance and larger socio-political network across Maharashtra. Anandraj was in the limelight in 2011 when he led a protest and occupied the Indu Mill land at Dadar in Mumbai. They were protesting against the government's failure to implement its proposal to set up a B R Ambedkar memorial complex with his statue there. Anandraj also made headlines in 2012 when he started an agitation seeking the removal of encroachments from the Buddhist caves and monuments in different parts of Maharashtra. B R Ambedkar along with lakhs of his followers had converted to Buddhism at Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur in 1956. By launching a stir over the Buddhist monuments, Anandraj had sought to connect with a larger section of Dalits and Ambedkarites. Over the last five decades, the RPI has been split into various breakaway outfits, which include the RPI (A) led by Union minister Ramdas Athawale, the RPI (Kawade) and the RPI (Gawai), among others. The alliance between the Shiv Sena and the Republican Sena is not likely to make any significant electoral impact in the state, with the move seen in political circles as a Shinde bid to mobilise smaller outfits to strengthen his own party. The RPI (A) is part of the BJP-led NDA in the state and at the Centre. It is said to have the support of a significant percentage of Dalit voters. The Athawale-led party had allied with the then undivided Sena led by late Bal Thackeray in the 1990s, which was dubbed an 'alliance of Shiv Shakti and Bhim Shakti'. This pitch was again made in November 2022, when Sena UBT chief Uddhav, son of Bal Thackeray, joined hands with Prakash Ambedkar. They asserted that they came together to save the Constitution and democracy, which had been facing a 'threat', they alleged, from the BJP dispensation. Both even recalled how their grandfathers had unitedly fought against various social evils including caste discrimination. In the 1950s, two political stalwarts, B R Ambedkar and Prabodhankar Thackeray, Bal Thackeray's father, had come together to fight against untouchability, dowry and casteism. A key constituent of the Opposition Maha Vikash Aghadi (MVA), Uddhav's alliance with Prakash Ambedkar however fell through ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The VBA contested in these polls alone, failing to open its account.
News18
06-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
‘Balasaheb Must Be Blessing Me': Fadnavis ‘Thanks' Raj Thackeray For Reunion With Uddhav
Last Updated: In a veiled swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he delivered a "rudali" (professional mourner) like speech at joint rally. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday took a sarcastic jibe at Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray for his remark that the BJP leader played a crucial role in reuniting the estranged cousins– Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray– after two decades. He 'thanked" the MNS president for crediting him in reuniting the two brothers and said that Balasaheb Thackeray must be blessing him for the task which according to Raj Thackeray, even Balasaheb couldn't achieve. 'I am thankful to Raj Thackeray for giving me credit for bringing them together. Balasaheb Thackeray must be blessing me," he said while interacting with the media persons. The Chief Minister further took a veiled swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and said that while the Thackeray cousins organised the rally to celebrate Marathi, Uddhav chose to speak about politics 'out of frustration'. 'It was a victory rally for the Marathi language, but Uddhav Thackeray chose to speak about politics and how he was ousted from power. He delivered a ' rudali" (professional mourner) like speech. He is speaking out of frustration, as they have nothing to show despite ruling the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for over 25 years," Fadnavis added as quoted by news agency PTI. Fadnavis said no word was spoken about Marathi at the event and the speech (delivered by Uddhav) focused on how his government was toppled and how they can regain power. 'The rally was not Vijay utsav but a 'rudali' darshan," the Chief Minister said. "Conversely, under Modi's leadership, we have transformed Mumbai. We gave Marathi people their rightful homes at BDD and Patra chawls (tenements), which made them (Uddhav-led) jealous," he said. The chief minister said he was proud to be Marathi and Hindu. "All Marathi and non-Marathi people are with us". Thackeray Cousins' Reunion Earlier today, In a rare show of unity, the Thackeray cousins shared the stage for the first time in two decades at the Awaj Marathicha rally in Mumbai to celebrate the rollback of the controversial Hindi language policy in primary schools in Maharashtra. While addressing the joint rally at the NSCI Dome in Worli, Raj Thackeray said, 'Chief Minister Fadnavis managed to do what Balasaheb Thackeray could not – bring me and Uddhav together." Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday asserted that he and his cousin have 'come together to stay together". 'Raj, I and everyone else here is united. We have come together to stay together," he said, saying that they will capture power in the Mumbai civic body and Maharashtra together. The language row came when the Maharashtra government issued an order in April to make Hindi as the compulsory third language for students in their primary classes. It was met with large opposition and political pressure, which led to a withdrawal recently. (With inputs from agencies) First Published: July 05, 2025, 18:43 IST
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'Rudali' speech: Devendra Fadnavis takes sharp swipe at Uddhav Thackeray
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel In a veiled swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said he delivered a "rudali" (professional mourner) like speech at the joint "thanked" MNS president Raj Thackeray for crediting him in reuniting the two Thackeray in the day, the Thackeray cousins shared the public stage at a victory rally in Mumbai to celebrate the rollback of two GRs issued earlier by the government introducing Hindi as a third language from class 1 in state the gathering, Raj Thackeray, in a lighter vein, credited Fadnavis for bringing together the two cousins which even Bal Thackeray couldn't do."Balasaheb Thackeray must be blessing me. I was told it was supposed to be a 'vijay' (victory) rally, but it turned out to be a 'rudali' speech," Fadnavis said in a veiled reference to Uddhav."Rudali" refers to a female professional mourner in certain regions, particularly in Rajasthan, where they were hired to publicly express grief during funerals, especially in upper-caste said no word was spoken about Marathi at the event and the speech (delivered by Uddhav) focused on how his government was toppled and how they can regain power."The rally was not Vijay utsav but a 'rudali' darshan," the chief minister stated that despite ruling the Mumbai civic body for 25 years, they (the undivided Sena) failed to bring in development."Conversely, under Modi's leadership, we have transformed Mumbai. We gave Marathi people their rightful homes at BDD and Patra chawls (tenements), which made them (Uddhav-led) jealous," he chief minister said he was proud to be Marathi and Hindu. "All Marathi and non-Marathi people are with us".
United News of India
05-07-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Raj & Uddhav share public platform after 20 years
Mumbai, July 5 (UNI) In a turning point in Maharashtra politics, the Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, came together under one platform after two decades amplifying the cause of Maharashtra and Marathi-manoos. The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)-INDIA opposition bloc are witnessing the development keenly. Uddhav, the Shiv Sena (UBT) head, is an MVA ally. Raj, the founder-president of MNS, is currently independent of an alliance. After differences with Uddhav, Raj had walked out of the undivided Balasaheb Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, in 2005 and in 2006, he formed the MNS. The coming together of the cousins in 2025 -- after a gap of 20 years -- is significant on many counts. Significantly, the year 2026 marks the 100th birth anniversary of Balasaheb -- the founder of Shiv Sena -- and 60th foundation year of the party. Founded by late Balasaheb (January 23, 1926-November 17, 2012), the Shiv Sena is at crossroads because of a split in the party which once had a dominant position in the western Indian state's politics where for over quarter of a century, coalition politics has been the order. From the iconic Shivaji Park, which Sainiks refer to as Shiv-Teerth, Balasaheb, in his first Dussehra rally on October 30, 1966 had given the message of '80 takke samaj-karan, 20 takke raj-karan' (80 per cent social work, 20 per cent politics). Today, Uddhav and Raj plan to "go back to basics' for the revival of their respective parties which posted their worst-ever performance in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly polls. Four major rebellions mark the the regional party's political journey: first by Chhagan Bhujbal (1991) followed by Narayan Rane (2005), then, Raj Thackeray (2005-06) and finally by Eknath Shinde (2022), who now controls the 'real' Shiv Sena and the iconic 'dhanushya-baan' (bow and arrow) electoral symbol. has deeply affected the party. While Raj floated MNS on March 9, 2006 and has the 'railway engine' symbol, Uddhav heads Shiv Sena (UBT) and has the 'mashaal' (flaming torch) symbol. Eknath Shinde toppled the Uddhav-led Maha Vikas Aghadi dispensation comprising the Congress and undivided Shiv Sena and undivided Sharad Pawar-led NCP. He joined hands with BJP to become the Chief Minister with the party's former CM Devendra Fadnavis as the Deputy CM. A year later, Ajit Pawar rebelled against his uncle and joined hands with BJP to become the Deputy CM. The year 2024 came with a mixed bag. In the Lok Sabha polls, the MVA performed very well in Maharashtra, however, Fadnavis with the support of the RSS turned tables and ensured that the opposition benches did not get the post of Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. In the 2024 Assembly polls, Shiv Sena could barely get 20 seats while MNS failed to open its account. UNI AAA PRS
Indian Express
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
After CM Devendra Fadnavis meets Raj Thackeray, Sanjay Raut says Maharashtra politics is now ‘madari ka khel'
Days after a surprise meeting between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and MNS chief Raj Thackeray triggered speculations about the possibility of a BJP-MNS alliance, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday described the current political atmosphere in Maharashtra as a 'madari ka khel' (puppet show), alleging that the CM was attempting to manipulate all parties to suit the BJP's interests. 'Fadnavis tries to play with everyone at the same time. He thinks every party in Maharashtra dances to his tune. What is happening in the state is not politics—this is a circus,' Raut wrote in his weekly column Rokhthok published in Saamana, the Sena UBT's mouthpiece. Accusing Fadnavis of ignoring the concerns of Mumbai's Marathi population, Raut alleged that Fadnavis was working in favour of corporate interests—particularly those of industrialist Gautam Adani. 'Fadnavis is openly supporting those who want to push the Marathi population out of Mumbai. Under his tenure, prime land parcels in the city are being handed over to Adani. Is this an attempt to drain Mumbai and send everything to Gujarat?' Raut wrote. 'One hopes Raj Thackeray asked him these questions during their meeting.' Raut further alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi treated Mumbai as a commercial hub, not a city rooted in Marathi identity. 'Fadnavis does whatever Delhi tells him to. And in their eyes, Mumbai is a trading post—not a cultural capital,' he wrote. The meeting between Fadnavis and Raj Thackeray, which took place at the Taj Lands End Hotel in Bandra on Thursday morning, led to heightened speculation in political circles about a potential BJP-MNS understanding, instead of a MNS-Sena (UBT) alliance. Although both the BJP and the MNS have remained tight-lipped, sources suggest the discussion may have focused on issues concerning Marathi voters and possible cooperation in the civic polls. A BJP-MNS alliance could split the traditional Marathi vote bank that has historically supported the Shiv Sena in Mumbai, potentially weakening the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction ahead of the civic polls. The BMC, India's richest civic body, has been under the Uddhav-led Sena's control for over two decades. Meanwhile, MNS leader Avinash Jadhav said the details of the Fadnavis-Raj meeting would come out soon. Expressing frustration over the state of public discourse, Raut said that real issues such as inflation, joblessness, and the marginalisation of Marathi speakers were being ignored. 'People in Mumbai, Maharashtra, and across India are dying like insects, but politicians continue with their political drama. No one is talking about how the Marathi person is disappearing from Mumbai,' he wrote. 'The real discussion should be about that, not about hotel meetings and alliances.' With municipal elections due in Mumbai and other civic bodies across the state, political posturing has intensified with the BJP expected to aggressively contest the BMC polls. Fadnavis's meeting with Raj seems to be part of such efforts aimed at stopping the Sena (UBT) from consolidating the Marathi votes.
