The Shiv Sena (UBT) is grappling with internal turmoil as a significant factional divide persists. Just over a year ago, the party experienced a vertical split, resulting in two distinct factions. Since the upheaval in June 2022, the Shiv Sena has been divided into the Eknath Shinde faction and the Uddhav Thackeray faction.
Eknath Shinde, along with 40 MLAs and 13 MPs, broke away from the party to establish a separate group, subsequently asserting their claim over the Shiv Sena. The Election Commission officially recognized Eknath Shinde's faction as the original Shiv Sena, assigning them the party symbol. The opposing faction led by Uddhav Thackeray was named Shiv Sena Uddhav Bal Thackeray.
The Thackeray faction has been experiencing an ongoing departure of members since the split. Numerous leaders from this faction are shifting to the Shinde faction. This movement from the Thackeray faction, which has been happening over the past year, shows no signs of stopping. Several leaders, office-bearers, workers, MLAs and MPs from the Thackeray faction have aligned themselves with the Shinde faction.
Recent developments have seen the Shiv Sena's Thackeray faction face a significant setback in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Various office-bearers, including the former mayor of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) Gajanan Barwal, have joined the Shinde group. This transition took place in the presence of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who warmly welcomed these new members. Chief Minister took to Twitter to share this development.