Mumbai: Shiv Sena on Friday posted a photograph of party founder Bal Thackeray along with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, calling their bond "unbreakable". In the photograph, Shinde can be seen sitting beside Balasaheb Thackeray.
Today is the 60th foundation day of Shiv Sena, which was established by the late Bal Thackeray in 1966.
In a post on X, Shiv Sena said: "Unbreakable bond! Of speeches, of thoughts, of the traditions of Hindutva and of Shiv Sena".
Also read: Six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs skip party meet, signalling switchover to Shinde camp
Earlier in the day, posters and banners put up by both UBT Sena and Shinde's Sena dominated key locations in Mumbai, including Bandra, Kalanagar and the Matoshree area, reflecting the continuing political rivalry between the two factions that emerged following the split in 2022.
The celebrations assume added significance this year against the backdrop of growing political chatter around "Operation Tiger", a term being used amid speculation that several UBT Sena MPs are in touch with the Shinde's Sena and may join the ruling alliance.
The buzz gained momentum after Shiv Sena MLC Chandrakant Raghuvanshi claimed that six MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT) have expressed confidence in Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and have already aligned with his faction. However, there has been no official confirmation from the MPs concerned regarding the claims.
The political divide within the Shiv Sena dates back to 2022 when Eknath Shinde, along with a large number of MLAs, rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray's leadership, leading to a split in the party.
The subsequent political and legal battles resulted in the Election Commission recognising the Shinde faction as the official Shiv Sena and allotting it the party's traditional 'bow and arrow' symbol, while the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction came to be known as Shiv Sena (UBT).
