Wary Of Thackeray Cousins' Tie-Up, Eknath Shinde Allies With Republican Sena

Political activity in Mumbai has picked up pace before civic body elections likely this year or next. In a key development, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Anandraj Ambedkar-led Republican Sena allied to consolidate Marathi and Dalit votes in the city.

The alliance was announced in the presence of the two leaders.

They traced the roots of their political coming together to Prabodhankar Thackeray, the father of Sena patriarch and founder Bal Thackeray, and Dr BR Ambedkar, the father of the Indian Constitution and Anandraj Ambedkar's grandfather.

Mr Ambedkar said the current Sena-Republican Sena alliance was simply a continuation of the ideological legacy shared by the two parties. He declared that Mr Shinde had always acted as a 'karyakarta' and never a Chief Minister, and said that the intention behind this alliance was to ensure that Ambedkarite workers also get a share in power, especially at the local level.

The Shiv Sena chief, meanwhile, used the stage to reaffirm his government's commitment to Babasaheb's Constitution, saying it was because of that document that people from people from the most marginalised communities had reached high-level positions in the country.

"Narendra Modi became Prime Minister because of Babasaheb's Constitution," Mr Shinde said.

Meanwhile, responding to a question about the Constitution playing a key role in determining the Lok Sabha elections results in 2024, Mr Shinde held that the opposition relied heavily on fake narratives. He stated that the true face of that campaign was exposed in the same year, when in the state Assembly election the opposition faced a humiliating defeat.

"The Constitution was never in danger... and it never will be. It is the opposition that is trying to create fear for political gains," he said, underlining his government's focus on development with inclusivity, mentioning measures like better facilities for senior citizens and increased health cover.

In his characteristic way, Mr Shinde didn't fail to attack the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction, from which he rebelled in 2022 and brought down the then-ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi of the undivided Sena, the undivided NCP, and the Congress. "I may not be a doctor... but I know how to perform surgeries, big or small, when needed," he said, slyly referring to that split.

The Sena-Republican Sena alliance is being seen as a calculated move by the ruling coalition to expand its base and counter the Thackeray Sena and MNS alliance which, if it translates into votes, could dent its hold on the Marathi votebank in the city.

In recent weeks, the Shinde-led Sena has inducted close to 100 former Thackeray Sena corporators and has been holding regular mobilisation meetings in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, all major parties in the city - the BJP, Congress, MNS, and the Thackeray and Shinde Senas are moving swiftly into campaign mode.

The BJP, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, is holding regular meetings with its state-wide cadre.

The Congress formed an Election Management and Coordination Committee, led by Mumbai unit chief Varsha Gaikwad. The initial omission of some senior leaders from the list led to internal discontent, which was addressed after meetings with the high command in Delhi and subsequent changes.

As for the Thackeray cousins - Uddhav and Raj, the MNS chief - they have been holding region-wise cadre meetings. Their joint presence during the protest against 'Hindi imposition' and the July 5 victory rally have added fuel to speculation of an MNS-UBT alliance, although only UBT has appeared proactive so far.

For now, with the announcement of the Shiv Sena-Republican Sena alliance, Mr Shinde has signalled that he intends to protect his turf in Mumbai by bringing together Marathi pride and Dalit assertion under one umbrella.