Eknath Shinde Declares 'Real Shiv Sena' Amid Party's 59th Anniversary Split
As Shiv Sena marked its 59th anniversary today, June 19, 2025, the political divide within the party was more evident than ever, with two separate anniversary rallies being held in Mumbai. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) leader Eknath Shinde delivered a scathing speech at the NSCI Dome in Worli, directly targeting Uddhav Thackeray and his faction.
While the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray-led Shiv Sena held its anniversary celebration at Shri Shanmukhanand Hall in King’s Circle, the Shinde-led faction's event at Worli drew key leaders and supporters, including MP Dr. Shrikant Shinde, MP Milind Deora, Deepak Kesarkar, Sanjay Shirsat, Uday Samant, Ravindra Waikar, Gajanan Kirtikar, Neelam Gorhe, Prakash Abitkar, and Dada Bhuse, among others.
Shinde's Sharp Criticism
Addressing the gathering of Shiv Sainiks, Eknath Shinde said,
“Today, another rally is happening somewhere, but this one belongs to the real Shiv Sena — the Shiv Sena of Balasaheb’s thoughts. That one is of those who have become helpless for power. The blessings of the real Shiv Sena, the saffron flag, and the people are with us.”
Shinde reaffirmed his faction’s allegiance to Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology of Hindutva and grassroots social work, saying,
“Shiv Sena means unity, thunderbolt, bow and arrow — this is our life and our identity.”
He also spoke about the party's growth across the country, claiming that leaders from seven states had approached him recently, showing Shiv Sena’s expansion beyond Maharashtra.
Electoral Performance and Political Attacks
Shinde used electoral data to highlight what he described as his faction’s growing strength and Uddhav Thackeray’s declining influence:
2014: Shiv Sena contested 282 seats, won 63.
2019: Contested 224, won 56.
2024: Contested 80 seats, won 60.
Uddhav's faction in 2024: Contested 85 seats, won only 20.
“Their strike rate is just 23 percent. The people of Maharashtra have rejected them. They lost the trust of voters by betraying Hindutva and the Marathi identity. They’ve aligned with the Congress, whom Balasaheb always kept at arm’s length,” Shinde said.
He accused Uddhav Thackeray’s faction of being “desperate for power” and said their actions had betrayed the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray.
“They became helpless for the Chief Minister's chair. Had Balasaheb been here, he would have hung them upside down and given them a chilli axe,” he remarked dramatically, drawing cheers from the crowd.
“We Don’t Betray Hindutva”
Shinde made a passionate promise to uphold the values of Hindutva and Marathi pride:
“We will never betray Hindutva, not even for power. We work 365 days. Some people only remember the public during elections.”“You say you haven't left Hindutva, but you hesitate to call Balasaheb the ‘Hindu Hriday Samrat’? That’s not Hindutva, that’s hypocrisy,” he added.
He concluded with a strong message to political rivals:
“Don’t be fooled by our calmness. When provoked, we do not spare anyone. This Shiv Sena is of Balasaheb, and Eknath is the Dighe of today. We are not aggressors, but if challenged, we never back down.”
As the anniversary celebrations came to an end, one thing was clear — the split in Shiv Sena remains deep and emotional, rooted in the battle over Balasaheb Thackeray's legacy, political ideology, and the soul of Maharashtra's most iconic regional party.