Shinde Sena on the Brink? Uddhav Camp Claims BJP Poised to Pull Out 35 MLAs
Saamana editorial alleges BJP has sidelined Shinde faction, warns MahaYuti government is on verge of breakdown
New Delhi, Dec 01 : The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Monday issued a sharp critique of the Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena, claiming the party is heading toward an “imminent collapse” and that at least 35 of its MLAs could soon be absorbed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In a strongly worded editorial published in Saamana, the Uddhav camp interpreted Maharashtra BJP chief Ravindra Chavan’s remark “Number 2 is all a lie… Devendra Fadnavis is everything” as a clear signal that the BJP has fully sidelined the Shinde faction.
The editorial accused the BJP of cornering Shinde and his loyalists, alleging that the ongoing local body elections have become a “money game,” with votes allegedly priced between ₹10,000 and ₹15,000 as MahaYuti partners sabotage each other.
It highlighted growing internal resentment, quoting former Shinde faction MLA Shahaji Patil’s remark: “We are destined for slavery to the BJP.” It also pointed to a recent controversy involving minister Gulabrao Patil, who reportedly boasted of distributing money to voters during the campaign.
Saamana criticised the ruling establishment, stating that while Maharashtra faces several crises, the Chief Minister and his two deputies are preoccupied with municipal polls. It alleged that voters are being lured with cash and that the alliance lacks governance principles, relying solely on “money power.”
The editorial ridiculed Shinde’s appeal for the BJP to follow coalition “dharma,” arguing the faction lacks the strength to confront its senior partner. It described the Shinde camp as dependent on “Amit Shah’s favour” for political survival.
Drawing parallels to past BJP criticisms of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the editorial labelled the current MahaYuti government a “three-wheeled rickshaw” that is overloaded and nearing collapse. Infighting across Konkan and other regions has intensified, it said, with BJP and Shinde Sena workers reportedly clashing.
Questioning the Shinde camp’s confidence in the Modi–Shah duo, the editorial noted: “Modi and Shah belong exclusively to no one. If Balasaheb’s Shiv Sena couldn’t retain them, how can the Shinde faction?”
The Uddhav camp concluded that the Shinde Sena is losing ground rapidly and that the BJP is preparing to absorb a significant portion of its MLAs a development it claims could destabilise the MahaYuti alliance.
