After Kalyan-Dombivli, is Ulhasnagar the next flashpoint as Maharashtra alliances show signs of crack

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray meets Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde. (Image: PTI)

Alliances are showing signs of crack as political parties shift their loyalties in a bid for power in Maharashtra. The latest post-poll surprise came when Raj Thackeray-led MNS extended support to Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), strengthening its position to claim the mayor’s post.

This came as a surprise move considering that Shinde is the bete noire of Raj’s alliance partner Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.

The KDMC election had thrown up a fractured verdict. In the 122-member corporation, the Shiv Sena won 53 seats, narrowly ahead of the BJP, which secured 51. The majority mark stands at 62, making post-poll support crucial.

And even though the Shinde Sena and the BJP are part of the ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra, in a surprising turn of events, the two parties locked horns to wrest the mayor's post in Kalyan-Dombivli with Shinde Sena opting MNS over the saffron party. With MNS's backing, the Shiv Sena has effectively gained the support of 58 corporators, significantly boosting its prospects in the civic body and further consolidating its control over KDMC.

The other big move was made by Shinde, who is making a bid for power in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), without his alliance partner, the BJP.

Shinde’s bid for control in Kalyan – he has also virtually outmanoeuvred the BJP in neighbouring Ulhasnagar – is likely to sharpen tensions between the Sena and BJP, both parties part of the Mahayuti alliance, which contested the civic polls together but have been locked in infighting ever since they, along with the NCP, seized power in Maharashtra in 2024.

The KDMC is particularly prestigious for the BJP as it is the home ground of the party’s state president Ravindra Chavan.

With MNS backing, the Shinde Sena now needs support of four more corporators to comfortably reach the majority mark. Meanwhile, compounding Uddhav’s troubles, four of his 11 corporators in the KDMC are now incommunicado.

Sena insiders said they are confident of also securing the support of the four “missing” Sena (UBT) corporators, who significantly were not present at the Konkan divisional commissioner’s office when the Sena (UBT) registered its group in Mumbai’s civic body, the BMC, and the KDMC, according to a report by the Hindustan Times.

Alliance with 'traitors' not acceptable

Meanwhile, even though MNS leaders claim the decision was taken at the local level, the Sena (UBT) is not amused. Party MP Sanjay Raut said any alliance with “traitors” is not acceptable to them. He said the Sena (UBT) is expecting Raj to take action against his corporators who are backing Shinde.

“During our campaign, we had pointed out the traitors of Maharashtra,” said Raut, referring to the Shinde-led Sena. “If any corporators from our allies have joined hands with those traitors for personal benefits, then even they would be considered traitors,” he fumed. He said it was unlikely that Raj had consented to the decision in Kalyan and he was expecting the MNS chief to take action against those corporators, HT reported.

Raut also met Raj on Wednesday, and expressed his unhappiness with the developments. “They say it’s a local issue. The party (MNS) must act against them,” he said.

“As a party, we are not connected to this,” said Mumbai MNS chief Sandeep Deshpande.

Meanwhile, the BJP, expectedly, took potshots at the Thackeray cousins. “It’s barely four days since the results were announced. And even before the slogans raised by Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut die down, the MNS has quit their alliance in Kalyan. UBT corporators too have bid adieu to the party. Even a house of cards lasts longer,” taunted BJP chief spokesperson, Keshav Upadhye.

Next stop - Ulhasnagar?

The BJP slammed the Thackeray cousin's alliance even though it does not have its own house in order. Shinde is not just moving to win a majority sans its ally, the BJP, in the KDMC, he is making similar moves in neighbouring Ulhasnagar.

The only difference is the two parties did not contest the civic polls here together.

In a house of 78 in Ulhasnagar, the BJP is the largest party with 37 seats, with the Sena bagging just one less, at 36. With the majority mark at 40, Shinde has secured the support of three corporators – two from Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) and one independent. Of the remaining two corporators, one is from the Congress and the other an independent, leaving little scope for the BJP.

These developments come only five days after results to elections in 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra were announced. The BJP and Sena contested as an alliance in only six of the nine corporations in the MMR, while the Thackeray cousins, estranged for around 20 years, joined forces for these crucial polls across the state.