Shiv Sena Marks 60 Years Amid Ongoing Factional Strife

Raut dismissed early skeptics who once predicted the organization would collapse within six months of its founding. Tracing its trajectory from a regional Marathi rights movement to a force with national reach in Delhi, he argued that internal turbulence is a recurring feature of the party’s history. He invoked the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to contextualize current defections, suggesting that resistance from within is an inevitable hurdle for any movement seeking to establish its own sovereignty.

The rhetoric comes at a volatile time for the party, which remains fractured following the 2022 split that saw Eknath Shinde’s faction secure the party’s traditional name and 'bow and arrow' symbol. Raut leveled sharp criticism at the Bharatiya Janata Party, accusing it of orchestrating the disintegration of regional parties to consolidate power and push for a presidential system. Despite these claims, the Uddhav Thackeray faction faces renewed pressure from rumors of further defections, with speculation intensifying around a potential 'Operation Tiger' that could see additional MPs align with the ruling Shinde-led camp.