‘No poaching within Mahayuti’: Eknath Shinde moves to douse row as Sena ministers boycott Cabinet meet

Addressing the issue, Shinde said, “No party leaders or members will be poached from BJP to Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena to BJP, or within any party in the Mahayuti. Everyone must follow their party’s code of conduct. I have instructed Shiv Sena office-bearers accordingly, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will issue similar instructions to BJP functionaries. All measures will be taken to safeguard the alliance.”

Stressing the need to ensure that the ruling Mahayuti alliance remains intact and strong, Shinde added, “We fought the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections together as part of this alliance. Both Devendra Fadnavis and I feel that the upcoming local body elections should not create any friction. Accordingly, we have decided that no leaders from alliance partners will be inducted, and party-switching within the alliance will be barred.”

Shinde’s statements came against the backdrop of recent tensions in key districts such as Thane, where several Sena leaders have reportedly joined the BJP. On November 14, five senior corporators of the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation resigned from the BJP to join the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, citing dissatisfaction with state BJP President Ravindra Chavan’s alleged arbitrary decision-making and neglect of long-time party workers.

A message to the BJP

Sources said the Sena ministers’ absence from the cabinet meeting on Tuesday was intended as a signal to the BJP over the recent inductions of leaders who had contested against Sena candidates in constituencies such as Aurangabad, Raigad, and others. Sena ministers, including Sanjay Shirsat, Bharat Gogawale, and Uday Samant, were reportedly irked by these moves, which they said violated the “alliance dharma”.

Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse emphasised, “All party leaders and functionaries, from senior to junior levels, must adhere to the alliance dharma. Both parties have agreed not to poach each other’s workers, even as discussions about switching parties continue among some corporators.”

BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule assured the alliance was intact. “If there is any discontent within the alliance, the coordination committee of the Mahayuti will look into it,” he added.

During a subsequent meeting with Fadnavis, Sena ministers reportedly discussed the alleged poaching spree led by Chavan. While a BJP source said Fadnavis reminded them that the Sena had also inducted former BJP leaders in Ulhasnagar, he assured them that he would speak to Chavan to stop further poaching.

Apart from Thane, political shifts are reported in Satara, Nashik, and Jalgaon. In Satara’s Patan, Sena minister Shambhuraj Desai faces a challenge from Satyajit Patankar, who switched from NCP (SP) to BJP. In Nashik, the BJP inducted Advay Hire from the Shiv Sena (UBT), potentially challenging Sena minister Dadaji Bhuse, while in Jalgaon, Vaishali Suryavanshi joined the BJP to contest against Sena’s Kishor Patil.

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