BJP on Edge as Eknath Shinde Struggles to Control Shiv Sena MLAs

NDC DESK

MUMBAI , JULY 13: With municipal elections just a few months away in Maharashtra, tensions within the ruling BJP–Shiv Sena coalition are rising. BJP leaders have expressed mounting concern that unruly behaviour by Shiv Sena MLAs under Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is damaging the alliance’s image and undermining its development agenda .

Persistent Incidents of Misconduct

Earlier this year, Buldhana MLA Sanjay Gaikwad sparked outrage by offering a reward for physically silencing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi following remarks on reservations. Similar controversies have become all too frequent. For instance:
• Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar MLA Sanjay Shirsat was filmed with a bag full of what appeared to be cash. Though he claimed it contained clothes, the opposition swiftly accused him of wrongdoing .
• Bhoom-Paranda MLA Tanaji Sawant reportedly forced the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to redirect a private flight back from Pune in February when his son travelled without informing him .
• Kalamnuri MLA Santosh Bangar claimed last year that “children of voters would not die of hunger if they had come out to vote,” a remark that sparked widespread criticism .

BJP Voices Its Fears

Senior BJP officials, speaking at a joint leadership meeting, warned that such controversies could tarnish the coalition’s achievements—like infrastructure improvements and pushing for Maratha forts to get UNESCO recognition—just before local elections . They urged Eknath Shinde to set clear behavioural guidelines for Sena legislators, similar to the regime BJP leaders follow at Sangh Parivar training sessions .

Will Shinde Clamp Down?

But limiting these wayward MLAs could prove politically costly for Shinde. Each of the controversial figures has backed him since the 2022 Sena split, supporting his rise to the chief ministership. Shirsat, for example, was rewarded with roles as party spokesperson and minister for his loyalty . Others have since been emboldened by such patronage.

One recent clash in the Legislative Council saw Shiv Sena minister Shambhuraj Desai challenge a UBT member, Anil Parab, to “take it outside” after being called a traitor .

A Delicate Balancing Act

Eknath Shinde now finds himself walking a tightrope: rein in his MLAs and risk alienating those who propelled his political ascent, or allow the controversies to persist and potentially harm the coalition’s local electoral fortunes. With polls approaching, the BJP is quietly pressing him to clean house—or risk jeopardising the “Mahayuti” alliance’s broader gains.