The ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra faces a serious crisis as tensions escalate between the BJP and its partner Shiv Sena over alleged poaching of leaders just weeks before crucial local body elections. The political drama unfolded dramatically when Shiv Sena ministers, with the sole exception of party chief Eknath Shinde, deliberately skipped the weekly Cabinet meeting in protest.
Cabinet Boycott and Emergency Meeting
In an unprecedented move that signals deepening rift within the coalition, Shiv Sena ministers chose to boycott the regular Cabinet session on Tuesday, November 19, 2025. Instead of attending the official meeting, the aggrieved ministers later met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis separately to register their strong protest against what they termed as state BJP chief Ravindra Chavan's "aggressive overdrive" to wean away their party leaders.
The ministers confronted Fadnavis with their concerns about the BJP's systematic efforts to recruit their cadres, particularly in key constituencies. During the heated discussions, Fadnavis reportedly acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and emphasized the need for all alliance partners to collectively ensure that leaders from within the coalition are not targeted for poaching in the future.
Broken Understanding Among Allies
At the heart of the conflict lies an informal pact that the three Mahayuti partners – BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP – had reached following their impressive victory in the November 2024 Assembly polls. According to sources within the ruling alliance, there was a clear understanding that leaders would not be poached from ally parties to ensure smooth coordination both within the government and at the grassroots level.
"There was an unwritten agreement that while all three parties remained free to induct leaders from opposition camps, they would refrain from targeting each other's cadres," revealed a BJP insider familiar with the arrangement. This understanding now appears to have been seriously compromised, threatening the very foundation of the coalition.
Kalyan-Dombivali Flashpoint
The immediate trigger for the current confrontation emerged from events in Kalyan-Dombivali, which represents the home turf of Shinde's son and local MP Shrikant Shinde. The situation turned volatile when BJP state chief Ravindra Chavan publicly inducted several Shiv Sena leaders into his party, including corporator Amnol Mhatre and former corporators Mahesh Patil, Sunita Patil, and Sayali Vichare.
While welcoming these leaders into the BJP fold, Chavan stated that "all my friends have shown faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Fadnavis" and claimed they chose to join the BJP because it consistently upheld Hindutva principles. This recruitment drive in what is considered Shinde family territory has been perceived as a direct challenge to the Shiv Sena leadership.
The tension between BJP and Shiv Sena in Kalyan-Dombivali isn't new. It traces back to last year's Lok Sabha elections when local BJP leaders, including Chavan himself, had opposed Shrikant Shinde's candidature from the constituency, requiring personal intervention from Fadnavis to resolve the matter.
Growing Resentment and Warning Signals
The BJP's recruitment strategy has generated significant resentment within Shiv Sena ranks. Sanjay Shirsat, a Sena minister and close aide of Eknath Shinde, expressed his party's frustration clearly: "We talk of coordination. There must be norms which every coalition partner must respect."
Another Sena minister, speaking on condition of anonymity, issued a veiled warning: "If the BJP is looking to weaken alliance partners, we will be forced to look for alternatives." This statement indicates the seriousness of the rift and potential consequences for the Mahayuti alliance's future.
The current flashpoint represents just the latest in a series of confrontations between the two parties. Recent conflicts include Fadnavis's decision to reappoint Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray as chairman of the Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial Committee despite Shinde's objections, and the BJP's appointment of Shinde's arch-rival Ganesh Naik as its Navi Mumbai and Thane in-charge for the upcoming local body polls.
NCP Also Affected
The problem of alliance partner poaching isn't limited to Shiv Sena alone. The BJP's other ally, the NCP led by Ajit Pawar, also found itself angered last month when the BJP inducted its former MLAs Rajan Patil and Yashwant Mane. BJP sources indicated these defections were strategically engineered to gain foothold in Solapur of Western Maharashtra, traditionally considered NCP territory, while simultaneously consolidating the party's position for the approaching local body elections.
BJP's Defense and Political Calculations
The BJP has defended its actions by maintaining that it has never actively sought to induct sitting elected representatives of its allies. Party spokespersons claim they have only considered inductions involving second- or third-rung leaders who felt "sidelined" in their respective parties and saw "brighter prospects" within the BJP.
Chavan justified the recent inductions by arguing they simply indicate that these leaders want to "contribute to the good work that the BJP is doing for Maharashtra." He posed a rhetorical question: "Why should we stop anyone if they want to join our party?"
A senior BJP leader offered a more candid perspective, invoking the famous saying that "all is fair in love and war" and suggesting the same principle applies to elections. "Crossing over from one party to another ahead of local body polls is a common phenomenon," the leader stated, adding that many politicians are keen to join the BJP following its success in last year's Maharashtra Assembly polls and recent Bihar elections.
Leadership Meetings and Future Implications
Both Shinde and Ajit Pawar have previously rushed to Delhi to meet the BJP central leadership with their concerns. Shinde, who reportedly still nurtures ambitions of becoming chief minister, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier this month under the guise of "extending Diwali greetings." However, BJP sources indicated that during these meetings, a subtle message was conveyed that Fadnavis would continue to lead the Maharashtra government until 2029.
Similarly, Ajit Pawar met Amit Shah on November 14, officially to congratulate him on the NDA's Bihar sweep, but sources suggest the meeting agenda included discussions about local body polls and Pawar's defense regarding a controversial land deal involving his son Parth.
With the three-phase local body polls scheduled for December-January, where the three Mahayuti partners are likely to contest independently except for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, the current tensions threaten to undermine the alliance's coordination and electoral prospects. The situation remains fluid, with all parties carefully calculating their next moves in this high-stakes political drama.
