BJP-Sena turf war intensifies in a scramble to broaden reach

BJP and Shiv Sena leaders’ growing feud within the Mahayuti coalition reflects their competing efforts to expand influence in the state assembly.

Mumbai: The growing feud between leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena – partners in the ruling Mahayuti coalition – reflects their competing efforts to expand their footprints in the state assembly.

Shiv-Sena-leader-and-minister-Eknath-Shinde-arrives-for-the-budget-session-of-Maharashtra-legislature-at-Vidhan-Bhavan-in-Mumbai-Kunal-Patil-HT-photo

While the antagonism between transport minister Pratap Sarnaik (Sena) and BJP MLA from Mira-Bhayandar Narendra Mehta recently peaked with each throwing jibes at the other on social media, in Thane the simmering tussle between deputy chief minster Eknath Shinde and BJP’s state unit chief Ravindra Chavan is familiar. Forest minister Ganesh Naik is known to publicly take on Shinde over a contest for control in Navi Mumbai, while Nitesh and Nilesh – former chief minister Narayan Rane’s sons – who belong to BJP and Shiv Sena respectively, are at odds in their ambition for political clout in Sindhudurg.

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Rift spills on social media

BJP MLA Narendra Mehta, who calls the shots in Mira-Bhayandar, had opposed Pratap Sarnaik’s candidature from the neighbouring constituency Ovala-Majiwada in 2024, and it was only after Shinde’s intervention that the seat was conceded to Sarnaik for the Assembly polls. During the municipal corporation elections earlier this year, the two leaders were at loggerheads over seat sharing, deciding to run solo eventually to defeat each other’s candidates.

Their rivalry dipped to a new low over the last few weeks when

Mehta termed Sarnaik “the biggest land mafia”, alleging that his family-led Vihang

Group had grabbed land belonging to villagers in Bhayandarpada to expand their real estate projects. One of

Sarnaik’s supporters retorted with a post on social media using derogatory language against

Mehta, which led to Mehta’s supporters with a similar response against Sarnaik’s

son, Purvesh -- a Yuva Sena leader.

Both sides eventually registered complaints against the other at Navghar police station. “The confrontation between the two leaders is likely to escalate further as it is a war for political clout in the city,” said a former Sena corporator.

The two leaders were also at loggerheads over the notification of the city’s Development Plan last week, as both have vested interests in it due to their involvement in the real estate sector.

Mehta also tried to corner the transport minister by writing to

chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to investigate the alleged fake permits being

issued to taxi and auto drivers using forged documents such as domicile and birth

certificates. Mehta’s letter led Fadnavis to demand action, compelling Sarnaik to

ask his department to investigate not only fake documents but also impose a

mandatory Marathi test on the drivers (which was eventually suspended).

Who controls Navi Mumbai?

Forest minister and BJP leader Ganesh Naik has been known to take on Shinde publicly since the formation of the government. Naik, who has ruled Navi Mumbai for decades irrespective of his political affiliations, attacked Shinde in February this year, saying he had drained Navi Mumbai’s resources over the last five years. The confrontation hit a high water-mark resulting in the ruling parties contesting the civic elections separately. BJP, under Naik, emerged as the single largest party by winning more than half of the 122 seats.

“The Shiv Sena had fielded candidates for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor, though they were later withdrawn in keeping with the principles of the alliance,” said a Navi Mumbai BJP leader. “The tussle between the two leaders, however, continues in the city. As minister of urban development department (UDD), Shinde has not released any development funds for the city. The two leaders are at loggerheads over the UDD’s decision to de-reserve plots reserved for basic amenities, including hospitals, grounds and flamingo habitats.”

Battleground Thane

Likewise, state BJP chief Ravindra Chavan and Shinde’s battle for supremacy in Thane, and other parts in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), is no secret. Chavan had poached leaders from Shinde’s Sena during the civic polls deepening the strain between the leaders. While the central leadership intervened to prevent further escalation, the two parties ended up going solo in many of the nine municipal corporations.

Speaking about the tussle, Shiv Sena leader

Krishna Hegde said, “Such frictions at the local levels keep cropping up as

both parties try to expand their base; however, this does not affect the

alliance at the state level.”

Brothers tussle for Sindhudurg

Nilesh and Nitesh, veteran BJP leader Narayan Rane’s sons, were at odds during the Nagar Panchayat elections in Sindhudurg in December last year. Sena leader, Nilesh, joined hands with other opposition parties and fielded candidates against the BJP, led by his younger brother and fisheries minister Nitesh, in the district.

Friction in Amravati

The recent merger of the Prahar Janshakti Party, led by former MLA Bachchu Kadu, with Shiv Sena has heightened the friction between the two parties in Amravati. The BJP had made systematic inroads into Achalpur, Kadu’s constituency for four terms, and won it in 2024. With Kadu joining the Sena, the confrontation is expected to escalate. Achalpur’s BJP MLA Pravin Tayade, who defeated Kadu in the 2024 Assembly polls has opposed Kadu’s induction in Mahayuti.

A Shiv Sena leader said on condition of anonymity that the conflict is likely to intensify for power in political, economic and social sectors. “Economic power-play includes sectors such as real estate and big-ticket infrastructure projects. The two are clashing also in their efforts to strengthen their own parties. Kadu’s induction is part of the Sena’s attempt to expand in Amravati, and such moves will inevitably lead to clashes between the two ruling parties, as the BJP has its own fiefdom there,” said the leader.

“We are two different parties, and clashes at the local level to

strengthen our own parties are inevitable. At the state level, the parties and

their leaders are on the same page when it comes to policies and

decision-making,” said BJP vice president Keshav Upadhye.