All is not normal in the Shiv Sena-Uddhav faction.
Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray faction once again appears to be on the verge of collapse. The role of MPs and MLAs is visible in this breakdown. Nothing has been decided yet and no decision is in sight but activities are gossiping that all is not normal in the Shiv Sena-Uddhav faction. On June 14, Uddhav Thackeray called a meeting of the party’s Lok Sabha members at his home Matoshree. Only four out of nine MPs arrived. Party’s Chief Whip in Lok Sabha Anil Desai has called a meeting in New Delhi on June 18, it will be interesting to see how many MPs reach here?
Uddhav faction leader Sanjay Raut gave vent to this rumor through a social media post on June 16. He wrote that the MPs of Maharashtra are being given Rs 15 crore each. On the other hand, information about the breakup of 16 MLAs of Shiv Sena Uddhav faction in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly is also in the air. It is being said that 16 MLAs and at least six MPs can join Shinde’s faction. It has been named Operation Tiger in the media. On the other hand, leader of Shiv Sena-Uddhav faction in Lok Sabha, Arvind Sawant has written a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla saying that Shiv Sena-Uddhav faction should be recognized as the only political party in Parliament. No facility of any kind should be given to any separate group or rebel group. The party should be heard before taking a decision on any such demand. Whatever form these discussions and paper exchanges will take, the country will keep an eye on it.
Let us understand in the context of this incident how many times Balsaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena had to face disintegration since its establishment? How did the party disintegrate?
Party breakdown in politics happens in many ways. Sometimes big leaders separate and form a new party. Sometimes a large group of MLAs and MPs form a separate faction. Sometimes the organization is weak from within, but there is no formal division. These three forms are visible in the story of Shiv Sena.
A strong center, but differences within
It was the 19th of June and the year was 1966, when Balasaheb Thackeray had formed Shiv Sena. In exactly two days this original party will turn 60. Shiv Sena’s identity was formed for a long time due to the leadership of Balasaheb Thackeray. Decisions came from above. The organization was run on discipline. But as politics increased, opportunities for power increased, so did ambitions. From here the ground for dissatisfaction was also prepared.
Sanjay Raut’s post
My dream money money! No no — Mahua ji, the Minimum Support Price is fixed at ₹50 crore per MP.(Pachas Khoke) ₹15 crore is just the advance. Frankly, these people are not even worth ₹50,000. Their price has only gone up because of the Shiv Sena and TMC brand label. https://t.co/Srzjgg4DkX
— Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) June 17, 2026
Separation of Chhagan Bhujabal became the first crack
A major schism emerged within Shiv Sena in the early 1990s. Then Chhagan Bhujbal took a different path from Shiv Sena. This separation was a big blow to the organization. Because Bhujbal was considered an influential leader. This incident indicated that despite a leadership in the party, dissent is not suppressed. She comes out as soon as she gets a chance.
Chhagan Bhujbal.
Power, position and ticket become permanent causes of breakdown.
Some reasons return again and again in the stories of breakups in Shiv Sena. The first reason is power sharing. The second reason is candidate selection, i.e. ticket. The third reason is place in leadership. The fourth reason is the difference in ideas and strategy. The fifth reason is coalition politics. When the party is in a big alliance, the pressure increases, and internal strife was also seen increasing in the same manner.
Narayan Rane came out after making the second big crack.
Narayan Rane separated from Shiv Sena in the year 2005. This was also a big turning point. Rane’s stature was considered big. His displeasure continued to be discussed regarding leadership and role. After separation, they chose another political stream. Due to this, Shiv Sena lost a strong face in politics and many internal equations changed.
Raj Thackeray.
Raj Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena
One of the most talked about splits of Shiv Sena took place in the year 2006. Bala Saheb Thackeray’s real nephew and Raj Thackeray, who was seeing himself as his successor, separated from him. He formed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. This was not just the separation of one leader. This was also a direct challenge to Shiv Sena on the basis of Marathi votes. At that time, debates regarding leadership and succession were intense. Raj Thackeray’s separation was considered a major consequence of this debate. After this, the possibility of triangular contests increased in Maharashtra politics and Shiv Sena’s traditional base started getting divided.
These breaks also had a huge impact on the party.
Every major breakdown had an impact on many levels. The workers were confused. Local leaders started taking a new line. The organization became weak in many places. Votes were cut in elections and the bargaining structure in the alliance changed. Both street power and power were important in Shiv Sena’s politics. After the break, both were affected. On the other hand, Bala Saheb had grown old. The new leadership was taking shape.
Uddhav Thackeray
Uddhav Thackeray’s era and challenges
After the death of Balasaheb, the leadership of Shiv Sena came into the hands of Uddhav Thackeray. This change was not just of the person. This was also a change in working style. A new generation, new language, and new alliance options emerged. But at the same time internal dissatisfaction also increased. Because some leaders felt that their role was decreasing. Some did not like the direction of the alliance. It is well known that Bala Saheb always supported BJP but Uddhav formed the government with Congress-NCP. This caused a blow to the party’s image in some way or the other.
Eknath Shinde
Then Eknath Shinde rebelled and two factions were formed
Shiv Sena’s biggest and decisive split took place in the year 2022. A large group of MLAs separated under the leadership of Eknath Shinde. After this Shiv Sena divided into two factions. One section remained with Uddhav Thackeray. The other faction went with Shinde. This division extended to organization, government, and election symbols. The identity of the Uddhav faction was more visible in the form of Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray. Shinde faction strengthened its claim on the original name and symbol. Shinde formed the government in Maharashtra with the help of BJP.
How many times should Shiv Sena be considered broken?
If large and clear separations are counted, four events stand out.
- Chhagan separation of arms.
- Separation of Narayan Rane.
- Raj Thackeray’s separation and formation of MNS.
- Big division under the leadership of Eknath Shinde in 2022.
Apart from this, even at small level, many leaders separated from time to time. Some formed a new party. Some went to other parties. But those divisions could not change the main structure of the party as much as 2022 did.
Why does the story of brokenness return again and again?
Shiv Sena’s politics has been based on emotions and organization. But, in the electoral era, power and resources are equally important. As competition increases, internal conflicts also increase. For this reason, stories of disintegration appear again and again in the history of Shiv Sena. This journey from Balasaheb to Uddhav shows that the party can be strong. But there is always a possibility of disintegration due to political pressure. Then there is also the fact that Uddhav could not run the party with the strength with which Balasaheb Thackeray ran it. It will be interesting to see what challenges come before the Uddhav faction of Shiv Sena in the next day or two? Because it is certain that everything is not normal.
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