Thane: A tectonic shift occurred in Maharashtra's political landscape in 2022. Under Eknath Shinde's leadership, 40 MLAs and 12 MPs from Shiv Sena formed a faction separate from Uddhav Thackrey. Thackrey reigned as CM and was replaced by Shinde who formed a government with the BJP. Two separate factions formed within Shiv Sena. Despite the Election Commission's decision on the real Shiv Sena, both groups claim to be legitimate. Leaders from both groups have been constantly mud-slinging at each other. Amid this rivalry, a wedding reuniting the two took place in Thane.
Social activist and personal aid to MLA Ravindra Phatak of Shinde group and Adv. Aarti Khale, District Coordinator of Uddhav Thackrey's Yuva Sena got married in Thane. This wedding was attended by leaders from both sides. Wedding attendees include CM Eknath Shinde, MLA Ravindra Phatak, Hemant Pawar from the Shinde faction and Varun Sardesai from Thackrey group's Yuva Sena, Uddhav Thackrey's aide Milind Narvekar, former corporator and MP Rajan Vichare's wife Nandini Vichare, former corporator Naresh Manera and local political party members from both of the groups.
Thane was the origin of the Shiv Sena split as it is the home ground of CM Shinde. However, this Thane wedding once again brought former party members together for an evening without political rivalries, celebrating the sacred union.