The Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Thackeray (UBT) is confronting a significant organizational challenge in Pune city, with a majority of its former corporators deserting the party to join rival political groups ahead of the upcoming civic body elections.
The Great Defection: A Corporator Exodus
During its previous tenure from 2017 to 2022, the undivided Shiv Sena had a contingent of 10 corporators in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). Following the dramatic split in the party, nine of these initially remained loyal to the Uddhav Thackeray camp, with only Nana Bhangire switching allegiance to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction.
However, that loyalty has eroded dramatically over the past year. In a series of blows to the UBT faction, five of its former corporators crossed over to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) early this year. Another one joined the Congress party just before the state assembly polls last year. The exodus continued just a few weeks ago when a corporator representing the Nagar Road area aligned with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The situation worsened this Tuesday when two more former corporators formally joined the BJP, bringing the total number of defections to nine.
Root Causes and Declining Fortunes
A former PMC corporator, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that the defection wave isn't limited to elected representatives. "Besides the corporators, some prominent leaders from Shiv Sena (UBT) also joined the BJP or the other parties, citing various reasons," the leader stated.
The source pointed to a shrinking support base as a key factor. "The united Shiv Sena had a strong base in pockets of Kothrud, Shivajinagar, and Hadapsar. But in the last few years, the party's performance has been on the decline," they explained. The upcoming PMC election will be the first major civic test since the party's split, making the performance of both Shiv Sena groups a closely watched political spectacle.
Party Response and Road to the PMC Polls
Despite the high-profile departures, Shiv Sena (UBT) insiders claim the exits will not cripple their electoral prospects. Sanjay More, the Shiv Sena (UBT) Pune chief, struck a defiant note. "We are preparing for the civic polls. Many aspirants want to fight polls on the party ticket. Talks with MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) partners on seat sharing are underway. We will put up a tough fight," More asserted.
Echoing this sentiment, a party worker and aspirant from the Shivajinagar area argued that the defections were driven by personal ambition rather than a loss of public support. "People still support Uddhav Thackeray and his team, which is the real Shiv Sena. We are going ahead with the thoughts of Balasaheb Thackeray," the worker said. He further claimed that public dissatisfaction with the BJP-led Mahayuti government at the state level would translate into votes for the UBT faction in the local elections. "Common people are not happy... People's anger will reflect in the civic polls," he added.
The stage is now set for a high-stakes battle for control of Pune's civic body. The Shiv Sena (UBT), having lost much of its ground-level leadership, must rely on its remaining cadre and the appeal of the Thackeray name to reclaim its influence. The BJP and its allies, bolstered by these strategic acquisitions, will aim to capitalize on this internal turmoil. The outcome will serve as a critical barometer for the strength of the divided Shiv Sena in one of Maharashtra's most important urban political arenas.
