Over three decades of rebellions and defections: Shiv Sena’s turbulent political journey

Mumbai, June 18 (IANS) As the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) stares at the prospect of a fresh rebellion within its Lok Sabha ranks, political observers point out that internal revolts have been a recurring feature of the party’s history.

Established by Balasaheb Thackeray on June 19, 1966, on the twin pillars of Marathi identity and Hindutva politics, the Shiv Sena has weathered several major splits over the past three and a half decades. From the first major defection in 1991 to the dramatic rupture of 2022, almost every decade has witnessed a prominent leader breaking away from the organisation.

The first serious challenge to Balasaheb Thackeray’s authority emerged in 1991 when senior Other Backward Classes (OBC) leader Chhagan Bhujbal rebelled against the party leadership. Disenchanted with internal functioning and his position within the organisation, Bhujbal walked out with 17 MLAs and joined Sharad Pawar’s camp. He later went on to serve as a minister and Deputy Chief Minister in Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) governments. The episode marked the first major legislative revolt against the Shiv Sena leadership.

Another significant departure followed in 1999 when Navi Mumbai strongman Ganesh Naik severed ties with the party and joined the newly formed NCP. Naik, who wielded considerable influence in the Navi Mumbai region, remained a key NCP leader for nearly two decades before switching to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2019, while retaining his political dominance in the area.

The next major setback came in 2005 with the exit of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane. Growing differences with the emerging leadership of Uddhav Thackeray led to a bitter fallout and eventual expulsion from the party. Rane joined the Congress, later floated the Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksha, and eventually aligned with the BJP, where he continues to be an influential figure in the Konkan region.

A year later, the Shiv Sena suffered what many regarded as its most emotional split. Raj Thackeray, Balasaheb Thackeray’s nephew, parted ways with the Shiv Sena, citing marginalisation within the organisation and disagreements over Uddhav Thackeray’s style of functioning. In 2006, he launched the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). The party made an impressive debut, winning 13 Assembly seats in 2009, but gradually lost political ground and now has only a limited electoral presence.

Unlike previous rebellions in which leaders simply left to form or join other parties, Eknath Shinde’s revolt in 2022 fundamentally altered the Shiv Sena itself. Leading a rebellion by 40 MLAs and a majority of the party’s MPs, Shinde challenged Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership and claimed to represent the party’s original ideology.

With support from the BJP, he not only split the organisation but also secured control of the official Shiv Sena name and its iconic bow and arrow symbol through legal and constitutional processes. The development forced Uddhav Thackeray’s faction to function under the Shiv Sena (UBT) banner.

Now, amid speculation surrounding “Operation Tiger” and reports that six of the nine Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs could cross over to the Shinde camp, the party once again finds itself confronting familiar political turbulence. Should the defection materialise, it would become the latest chapter in a long history of internal revolts that have repeatedly reshaped both the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra’s political landscape.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)

–IANS

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