19 November,2025 11:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Eknath Shinde reportedly told Amit Shah that internal tensions could slow the Mahayuti’s winning momentum and give the opposition an undue advantage. File pic
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Eknath Shinde met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Wednesday and conveyed his concerns that some Mahayuti leaders were "spoiling the favourable political environment" for the ruling alliance ahead of the upcoming local body polls, sources told news agency PTI.
According to the sources quoted above, Shinde - who also heads the Shiv Sena - told Shah that avoidable disruptions and internal tensions could slow the Mahayuti's winning momentum and give the opposition an undue advantage. He also raised the issue of "unnecessary and misleading reports" appearing in the media, which he said were creating confusion among the public and causing uncertainty among party workers and office-bearers.
His meeting with the Union Home Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader came a day after all the Shiv Sena ministers, except Shinde, skipped the Devendra Fadnavis-led cabinet meeting on Tuesday to protest what they described as the BJP's attempts to poach party leaders ahead of the local body elections. The development triggered fresh unease within the Mahayuti alliance.
A truce was reached later on Tuesday after Shinde and other Sena ministers met Chief Minister Fadnavis. It was agreed that the alliance partners should refrain from inducting each other's functionaries, leaders or workers.
"During the meeting in Delhi, Shinde told Shah that after the 2024 assembly election victory, the environment is extremely favourable for the Mahayuti in the upcoming local body elections. However, some leaders are trying to spoil this environment and giving the Opposition an undue advantage," a source told PTI.
He also conveyed that alliance partners should avoid criticising one another publicly, and that all leaders must exercise restraint and maintain harmony while making statements.
Elections to 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats in Maharashtra are scheduled for December 2. Polls to municipal corporations are expected in January 2026.
Eknath Shinde isolated in Mahayuti, should walk out instead of facing humiliation: Congress
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal on Wednesday claimed that Shinde has become "isolated" within the ruling Mahayuti and should walk out of the government instead of accepting "humiliation for the sake of power", PTI reported.
Sapkal said the recent unrest among Shiv Sena ministers pointed to growing worries within Shinde's camp about a potential split in the party.
He was referring to Tuesday's cabinet boycott by Sena ministers.
Speaking to reporters in Buldhana while campaigning for Congress candidates for the December 2 polls, Sapkal said, "It is out of the very fear of a split in the Shiv Sena that the drama of the ministers' displeasure and skipping the cabinet unfolded. This Mahayuti was formed not on the basis of any ideology, development or trust, but solely for power."
"Instead of accepting humiliation for the sake of power, Eknath Shinde should walk out of the government," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
