The Shinde Thackeray political war has reached a fever pitch in Maharashtra, with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde launching a scathing counterattack against former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over allegations of municipal resource misuse. This intensifying battle centres on accusations surrounding the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), one of India’s wealthiest civic bodies, and has become a defining moment in Maharashtra’s tumultuous political landscape.
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The Anaconda Metaphor: Origins of the Controversy
The latest chapter in the Shinde Thackeray political war began when Uddhav Thackeray, chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), referred to Union Home Minister Amit Shah as an “anaconda” during a rally at Mumbai’s Worli Dome. Thackeray accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to “swallow Mumbai” through political manipulation and questionable land acquisitions. Drawing parallels with a newly introduced anaconda at Mumbai’s Jijamata Udyan, he suggested the ruling party’s appetite for controlling Mumbai was insatiable.
Eknath Shinde’s response was swift and equally aggressive. The Deputy Chief Minister turned the metaphor back on Thackeray, declaring that if anyone deserved the anaconda label, it was Thackeray himself. Shinde’s remarks specifically targeted Thackeray’s tenure and his family’s long association with the BMC, suggesting years of accumulated wealth and power through municipal governance.
BMC Resource Allegations: The Heart of the Dispute
The Shinde Thackeray political war has brought the BMC’s operations under intense scrutiny. The undivided Shiv Sena controlled Mumbai’s municipal corporation for 25 consecutive years, from 1997 to 2022, making it a central point of contention in the current political battle. Shinde accused Thackeray of being “coiled around Mumbai’s treasury,” alleging that his administration had systematically exploited the city’s financial resources.
According to recent Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports, contracts worth approximately Rs 12,000 crore were awarded during the COVID-19 pandemic period under the BMC’s jurisdiction. The audit revealed significant irregularities, including Rs 3,500 crore specifically allocated for pandemic management. The report highlighted that 64 contractors and BMC officials received work orders and payments without proper contracts in place, raising serious questions about transparency and accountability.
Shinde’s faction has pointed to these findings as evidence supporting their corruption allegations. Dr Manisha Kayande, a legislator from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, specifically accused Aaditya Thackeray, Uddhav’s son, of awarding contracts without proper tender processes during the pandemic. She cited manipulated tender procedures in the BMC’s Information Technology Department, which allegedly led to inflated costs and wasteful expenditure.
The Historical Context of Municipal Control
Understanding the Shinde Thackeray political war requires examining the historical significance of BMC control. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is not just India’s richest civic body but also one of Asia’s wealthiest municipal corporations, with a budget exceeding Rs 45,000 crore for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Control over this institution has long been synonymous with political power in Maharashtra.
The Shiv Sena’s quarter-century dominance of the BMC provided substantial political capital and influence over Mumbai’s development trajectory. This control extended to major infrastructure projects, land allocations, and civic amenities, making it a crucial power centre in Maharashtra politics. When Shinde led his rebellion in June 2022, fracturing the Shiv Sena and collapsing the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, one of the underlying issues was alleged mismanagement of municipal resources.
Counter-Allegations and Political Positioning
Counter-Allegations and Political PositioningThe Shinde Thackeray political war has seen both camps exchange serious allegations. Uddhav Thackeray’s faction has countered by pointing to cost escalations during the previous BJP-led Devendra Fadnavis administration. In a 2022 legislative assembly speech, Thackeray questioned a Rs 10,269 crore cost escalation in Mumbai Metro projects, asking Shinde, then the Urban Development Minister, to investigate the matter.
Thackeray also defended his administration’s record, arguing that many corruption allegations were politically motivated attempts by the BJP to weaken his government. He famously declared his willingness to face jail if it meant protecting his family from what he termed harassment by enforcement agencies.
Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule joined the attack on Thackeray, comparing him to a “python” rather than an anaconda. Bawankule accused Thackeray of idleness and mismanagement, claiming he “sits at home, sleeps all day, and ruins Mumbai.” This rhetoric has become characteristic of the intensifying Shinde Thackeray political war, with both sides employing increasingly aggressive language.
The Electoral Dimension
The Shinde Thackeray political war carries significant electoral implications. The upcoming BMC elections have become a crucial battleground where both factions seek to establish their legitimacy as the true inheritors of Bal Thackeray’s legacy. Eknath Shinde has announced that his Shiv Sena will contest the BMC polls as part of the Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party faction.
In the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Shinde’s faction demonstrated electoral superiority, winning 57 seats compared to Uddhav’s 20. The Mahayuti alliance secured 237 of 288 seats with 49.30% vote share, a decisive victory that Shinde’s supporters cite as validation of his rebellion and subsequent political journey. The alliance also performed strongly in Mumbai, winning 22 of the city’s 36 assembly constituencies.
These electoral results have intensified the Shinde Thackeray political war, with both factions positioning themselves for the crucial BMC elections. Control of Mumbai’s municipal corporation would provide not just financial resources but also immense political legitimacy to whichever faction emerges victorious.
Institutional Recognition and Party Control
The Election Commission of India’s recognition of Shinde’s faction as the authentic Shiv Sena in February 2023 marked a pivotal moment in the Shinde Thackeray political war. The Commission awarded Shinde’s group the party name and the iconic bow-and-arrow symbol, while Thackeray’s faction was redesignated as Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) or Sena (UBT).
The Election Commission’s decision cited undemocratic amendments to the Shiv Sena constitution made in 2018 under Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership. These amendments allegedly centralised party control and eliminated provisions for free, fair, and transparent elections for party positions. The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker subsequently ruled that Shinde’s faction constituted the “real Shiv Sena,” dealing a significant legal and political blow to Thackeray.
Development Versus Corruption Narrative
Development Versus Corruption NarrativeA crucial aspect of the Shinde Thackeray political war involves competing narratives about governance priorities. Shinde’s administration has emphasised development and infrastructure projects, pointing to initiatives launched during his tenure as Chief Minister from June 2022 to December 2024. His supporters credit him with advancing projects that were allegedly stalled during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
At his Dussehra rally in October 2024, Shinde explicitly framed the conflict in ideological terms: “Their agenda is corruption first, ours is nation first.” He accused the previous government of blocking development projects and increasing state debt by Rs 17,000 crore through what he termed “arrogance and project stalling.”
Conversely, Thackeray’s camp has portrayed itself as defending Mumbai’s interests against attempts by the BJP and its allies to capture the city’s resources. Thackeray’s anaconda metaphor was embedded in a broader narrative about protecting Mumbai from outsiders seeking to exploit its wealth and status.
The Path Forward: BMC Elections and Political Future
As the Shinde Thackeray political war continues to unfold, the impending BMC elections loom as a decisive confrontation. Both factions recognise that municipal control translates directly into political power, financial resources, and public legitimacy. Shinde has emphasised booth-level organisation and membership drives across Mumbai’s 227 civic wards, signalling the importance his faction places on this contest.
Meanwhile, Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) has hinted at potentially contesting the BMC elections independently, outside the broader Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance framework. This strategic consideration reflects the unique importance of Mumbai’s municipal politics and the desire to establish a distinct political identity.
The outcome of this electoral battle will likely shape Maharashtra’s political landscape for years to come. It will determine not just who controls one of Asia’s wealthiest municipal corporations but also which faction can legitimately claim to represent the political legacy of Bal Thackeray and the original Shiv Sena ideology.
Conclusion: A Battle Beyond Rhetoric
The Shinde Thackeray political war represents more than a simple dispute between political rivals. It embodies fundamental questions about governance, corruption, political legitimacy, and the control of critical urban infrastructure. The allegations of BMC resource misuse reflect broader concerns about transparency and accountability in municipal governance, issues that affect millions of Mumbai residents daily.
As both factions prepare for the crucial BMC elections, the intensity of their confrontation shows no signs of diminishing. Whether through anaconda metaphors or detailed corruption allegations, the Shinde Thackeray political war has become central to Maharashtra’s political discourse. The resolution of this conflict, whenever it comes, will significantly influence not just who governs Mumbai but how the city develops and serves its citizens in the years ahead.
The people of Mumbai and Maharashtra ultimately hold the power to determine which narrative prevails—whether Shinde’s claims of freeing Shiv Sena from corrupt influences or Thackeray’s defence of his legacy and accusations of betrayal. As this political drama continues to unfold, one certainty remains: the Shinde Thackeray political war will remain at the forefront of Maharashtra politics for the foreseeable future.MaharashtraMaharashtra
