Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at an event with Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.
| Photo Credit: File Photo
Shiv Sena Ministers, barring Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, stayed away from the State Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, fuelling speculation that the party is upset over ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) “poaching” its members ahead of the local body elections.
Sources said efforts by the Shiv Sena Ministers to reach out to Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan failed after the drama at the Secretariat, even as Mr. Chavan continued inducting members from two prominent Sena Ministers’ constituencies at the State BJP headquarters.
Earlier in the day, four Sena Ministers, including Gulabrao Patil, Sanjay Shirsat and Pratap Sarnaik, met Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis. The Ministers are learnt to have expressed displeasure over the induction of their party members into the BJP.
Mr. Fadnavis reportedly told the upset Sena Ministers that it was their party that started poaching local BJP leaders, beginning with Ulhasnagar, a senior Minister told The Hindu.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister is learnt to have told the Sena Ministers that nobody in the ruling Mahayuti alliance should induct each other’s local leaders henceforth.
“The CM said he will instruct his party leaders as well accordingly,” said School Education Minister Dada Bhuse.
Mr. Shinde expressed similar views. “Devendra Fadnavis and I believe that the alliance should work smoothly. So, it was decided in our meeting that such inductions should stop henceforth,” he told reporters.
The ruling alliance comprises the BJP, the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Elections to civic bodies will be held in three phases starting December 2. At several places, these elections will be held after a gap of eight to nine years.
Slew of defections
Last week, the Sena inducted five former corporators from the BJP. Thereafter, the BJP inducted Sena leaders Anmol Mhatre and his wife Ashwini Mhatre in Dombivali, considered the fortress of Mr. Shinde.
Soon after, four former Sena corporators joined the BJP. On Tuesday, Sena leaders from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nashik joined the BJP. Meanwhile, the BJP has allied with other parties against Sena leader Shahajibapu Patil in Sangola for the upcoming local body elections.
Rubbishing reports of discord in the alliance, senior BJP leader and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, “Since polls are happening after so many years, all those who expect opportunities are jumping from one party to another.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said Cabinet meetings are held to resolve issues faced by Maharashtra and not to “pander to egos”. “Today, someone will again travel to their native village,” he said on X in an apparent dig at Mr. Shinde, who on past occasions had travelled to his village, reportedly upset over political developments.
Published – November 19, 2025 01:51 am IST
