Aaditya Thackeray Challenges Shiv Sena Rebel Faction

Arvind Sawant and Anil Desai are set to represent the Thackeray faction at 5 p.m. today, where they will formally contest the recognition of the rebel group. The internal friction reached a boiling point after Sanjay Raut publicly denounced the defectors, framing the party split as a struggle against political opportunism. This legal and procedural standoff remains the primary hurdle for the UBT faction as they attempt to reclaim their parliamentary standing.

Beyond the party crisis, Aaditya Thackeray shifted his focus to Mumbai’s crumbling infrastructure. He lashed out at the BJP, accusing local leadership of favoring contractors and builders while the city suffers through severe monsoon waterlogging. Thackeray specifically targeted Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde for her perceived absence during the crisis, while simultaneously dismissing proposals to rename KEM Hospital and voicing skepticism regarding the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code in the state.