Politics

Bal Thackeray, the towering figure of Maharashtra politics, built the Shiv Sena brand over six decades, commanding Mumbai’s political landscape with unmatched authority. Even Bollywood’s biggest stars—Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan—stood in awe of his influence during the historic 1986 film industry strike, when Thackeray threatened a state-wide bandh to protect cinema workers’ rights, forcing the Congress government to back down. Thackeray’s charisma extended beyond politics; he was regarded as a “political justice” in Mumbai, where businessmen, unions, and ordinary citizens sought his intervention. Despite internal party dissent over the years, from leaders like Chhagan Bhujbal and Narayan Rane to Raj Thackeray, the Shiv Sena founder maintained control, never compromising h...

Mumbai/Thane: BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Ganesh Naik issued a sharp warning aimed at Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, without naming him directly. Speaking in Thane, Naik said that if the BJP leadership allowed him to operate freely, the political existence of the Shiv Sena chief could be completely wiped out. The statement comes amid a long-standing rivalry between Naik and Shinde over political influence in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, particularly in Navi Mumbai, Thane, and Kalyan-Dombivli. Naik’s remarks follow recent municipal election results, where he expressed dissatisfaction with the Mahayuti alliance’s strategy. Where and How It Was SaidNaik made these comments while visiting a Ganesh Mandal in Thane, considered a stronghold of Shinde. He said: “If BJP p...

Mumbai: Political rhetoric in Maharashtra has intensified following statements by AIMIM leaders Imtiaz Jalil and Waris Pathan, who declared their intention to “turn Maharashtra and India green.” The remarks have drawn sharp criticism from the BJP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, escalating the debate into a full-blown green vs saffron confrontation. Leaders from Shaina NC to Krishna Hegde have strongly retaliated. AIMIM’s Green AgendaSpeaking about party expansion in Maharashtra, AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jalil endorsed controversial remarks made by newly elected corporator Sahar Sheikh, who said she would “turn Mumbra green.” Jalil added, “Not just Mumbra, we will spread green across Maharashtra,” reigniting the political discourse on saffron versus green in the state. BJP Pushback: Histori...