The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena joining hands with rival Congress to keep alliance partner Ajit Pawar’s NCP out of power in Raigad’s Mhasla Nagar Panchayat has once again exposed the growing faultlines within Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti alliance, where parties sharing power in the state government continue to engage in intense political battles against each other at the grassroots level.

Shiv Sena bags key post

The Shiv Sena-Congress understanding helped the Eknath Shinde-led faction capture the municipal council president (Nagaradhyaksha) post. Out of the 17-member civic body, Shiv Sena managed the support of nine corporators to form the ruling bloc.