Union Home Minister Amit Shah said there is only one Shiv Sena, backing the faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

This endorsement signals a strategic move by the central government to consolidate political power in Maharashtra by marginalizing the rival faction led by Uddhav Thackeray. By legitimizing Shinde's leadership, the administration seeks to stabilize the regional coalition and weaken the opposition's claim to the party identity.

Speaking in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, on May 19, 2024, Shah said, "There is only one Shiv Sena" [1]. He said, "Only one Shiv Sena now" [2]. The comments came amid reports of internal instability within the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) faction.

According to reports, six of the party's nine Lok Sabha MPs wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to seek recognition as a separate bloc [3]. This rebellion provided the backdrop for Shah's public endorsement of Shinde, framing the Shinde-led group as the sole legitimate successor to the party's legacy.

During the events, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde praised the Home Minister's broader security initiatives. Shinde said, "I appreciate Union Home Minister Amit Shah's efforts towards eradication of Naxalism" [4]. This occurred as the Bastar region was declared Maoist-free, a milestone Shinde described as a big achievement [4].

The political friction between the two Shiv Sena factions has persisted since the party split, with both sides claiming the right to the name and symbol. Shah's intervention in Kolhapur serves to clarify the central government's position on the legitimacy of the Shinde-led administration.

“"There is only one Shiv Sena."”

The public endorsement of Eknath Shinde by the Union Home Minister effectively closes the door on the political legitimacy of the Thackeray faction in the eyes of the central government. By aligning the party's identity with Shinde during a period of internal rebellion among UBT lawmakers, the ruling coalition is attempting to finalize the fragmentation of the opposition and secure a dominant grip on Maharashtra's political landscape.