BJP Makes Strategic Inroad in Thane, Shinde Sena Leader from Badlapur Switches Sides

Mumbai: The political contest between allies in Maharashtra’s ruling alliance has intensified in Thane district, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) scoring a notable political gain in the Ambernath–Badlapur belt. In a move that has stirred fresh debate within the Mahayuti, Pravin Raut, a senior local functionary of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Badlapur, has officially joined the BJP.

The development is being viewed as another sign of the growing turf war between the BJP and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction of the Shiv Sena, particularly in urban pockets once considered firmly under Shinde’s influence. Ambernath and Badlapur, both politically significant towns in Thane district, have recently emerged as flashpoints following the municipal council elections.

In those elections, the BJP managed to secure control of the municipal councils in both cities by winning the president’s posts, a result that marked a clear setback for the Shinde Sena. The outcome altered the local power balance and weakened the Sena faction’s long-standing grip over these municipalities. Since then, political maneuvering between the two alliance partners has become increasingly visible.

Pravin Raut’s entry into the BJP adds a new dimension to this rivalry. A known organisational figure in Badlapur, Raut had contested the civic elections on a Shinde Sena ticket but failed to secure a win. After the results, he reportedly raised concerns about the polling process and later conveyed disappointment over not being accommodated as a nominated corporator, a position he had hoped to receive.

Political observers say Raut’s defection reflects growing unease among some local leaders within the Shinde Sena, especially in areas where the BJP has expanded its organisational and electoral strength. For the BJP, the induction is seen as part of a broader strategy to consolidate its hold in Thane district and assert dominance even within alliance territories.