Thane: The Shiv Sena (UBT) has clinched victory in the Thane civic ward where Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde resides. The area has long been considered his stronghold. Sena (UBT) candidate Shahaji Khusphe defeated the Shinde-led Shiv Sena’s nominee and former mayor Ashok Vaiti by a margin of 667 votes.
According to officials, Khusphe secured 12,860 votes in Ward 13A, while Vaiti polled 12,193. The outcome has attracted attention as Thane has historically been the Shiv Sena’s core base, shaped by the influence of Bal Thackeray, the late Anand Dighe, and later Shinde himself. Following the 2022 split in the party, most of the Sena’s organisational structure in Thane — including shakhas and corporators — aligned with Shinde, making the civic polls a prestige battle for both the ruling faction and the Sena (UBT).
Although the Sena (UBT) trails significantly in the overall race for control of the Thane Municipal Corporation, its win in Shinde’s backyard has raised political eyebrows. Ward 13 has four seats, three of which were won by the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
However, the Sena (UBT)’s victory in the most high-profile contest has carried symbolic weight, suggesting that voter support has not entirely shifted with organisational control and that the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction continues to retain pockets of influence even in areas closely associated with Shinde.
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