As preparations continue for the Kulgaon–Badlapur Municipal Council elections on Tuesday, more than six Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates have announced their support for BJP’s mayoral candidate, Ruchita Ghorpade.
The BJP has said that nine candidates are supporting them. Kishor Patil, the city chief of Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, said that six of their candidates have gone against the party’s orders, and he appealed to voters not to vote for them. This sudden move by the BJP has created a buzz in local political circles.
Thackeray’s Shiv Sena has often accused the BJP of breaking their party. Since 2022, the Thackeray faction has mainly focused on criticising the BJP and opposing its policies. Leaders like Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut attack the BJP almost every day. However, the political situation in Thane district has taken a surprising turn.
Just hours before voting, a big split has become visible in Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena. Many of their candidates have openly supported the BJP’s mayoral candidate, who has always been their main rival. This election was mainly expected to be a contest between the BJP–Ajit Pawar NCP alliance and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena had put up 21 candidates and also had its own mayoral candidate, Priya Gawli. But on Sunday, BJP candidate Ruchita Ghorpade announced that seven Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates had supported her. On Monday morning, another candidate joined them.
Because of these open declarations of support, a clear division has appeared within Thackeray’s Shiv Sena. The decision of their own candidates to back the BJP has created a major stir in the city.
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