In a dramatic display of political discontent, most Shiv Sena ministers, with the notable exception of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, staged a boycott of the weekly Maharashtra cabinet meeting on Tuesday. The protest was a direct response to the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) alleged poaching of Sena leaders and workers in the run-up to crucial local body elections.
Political Tensions Boil Over
The boycott, which took place on November 18, 2025, was intended as a strong message to the BJP, the Sena's ruling alliance partner. Party sources revealed that the Sena leadership is deeply angered by the BJP's systematic efforts to wean away its cadre, a move seen as a violation of alliance ethics. However, in a contradictory statement, other Sena sources downplayed the action, claiming it was a "mere absence" and not an official boycott.
While the Sena ministers stayed away, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, who leads the Shiv Sena faction, attended the meeting at Mantralaya. The conspicuous absence of his colleagues did not go unnoticed. Aaditya Thackeray, an Opposition MLA from the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, swiftly criticized the ministers, questioning if they were prioritizing "personal egos above the state's interests."
Behind Closed Doors: A Heated Discussion with the CM
Following the cabinet no-show, the aggrieved Sena ministers held a separate meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The discussion centered on the BJP's recent poaching spree, which is reportedly being led by its state unit chief, Ravindra Chavan. The situation is particularly acute in Deputy CM Shinde's home turf of Thane district, where several political shifts have seen Sena leaders defect to the BJP.
According to sources within the BJP, CM Fadnavis offered a sharp rebuttal during the meeting. He pointed out that the Sena had previously initiated similar poaching of BJP leaders in Ulhasnagar, suggesting they had no grounds for complaint. "He told them that since Sena had done the same, they should not complain about it to others," a BJP leader disclosed.
Despite this initial pushback, the Chief Minister reportedly assured the Sena ministers that he would intervene. A Sena Minister present confirmed that Fadnavis promised to speak to Ravindra Chavan to halt further inductions from allied parties. "It has now been decided that we will not enroll leaders of allies," the minister stated.
A Statewide Political Battle
The friction between the allies is not confined to Thane. The two parties are locking horns in several other regions across Maharashtra ahead of the local polls.
- In Satara district's Patan, Sena minister Shambhuraj Desai is facing a challenge from Satyajit Patankar, who recently switched from the NCP(SP) to the BJP.
- The political landscape in Nashik has been altered with the BJP's induction of Advay Hire from the Shiv Sena (UBT), positioning him as a potential challenger to Sena minister Dada Bhuse.
- In Jalgaon, Vaishali Suryavanshi's move to the BJP has made her a direct competitor for Sena's Kishor Patil.
Expressing the core of the Sena's grievance, another Sena Minister lamented, "Candidates who fought against us have been inducted into the BJP, which is not as per the alliance dharma. We are not even being told about such moves, despite being in the alliance." This incident underscores the fragile nature of the ruling coalition and sets the stage for a contentious pre-election period in Maharashtra.
