Eknath Shinde

Fadnavis knows how dangerous a 'scheming friend' can be, says Shinde

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is a clever person who knows very well how dangerous a scheming friend could be, a reference to Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray. Shinde was responding to questions about Fadnavis and Thackeray taking the same flight while going to Nagpur on Friday. He said the BJP and undivided Shiv Sena had taken the same flight in 2019, but then "he took a different flight and aligned with the Congress", referring to the two allies breaking ties. "Fadnavis is a very clever person. He knows very well how dangerous a scheming friend could be," Shinde said. When asked about his flight journey with his political rival Fadnavis, Thackeray had said they had a "very high-level discussion". Probed further about the outcome of the meeting, Thackeray said the result will be known in the coming days. Fadnavis and Thackeray travelled together on a flight from Mumbai to Nagpur on Friday, triggering ..

Only one Shiv Sena exists, led by Shinde: Shah's jibe at Uddhav Thackeray

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday took a sharp jibe at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, accusing him of sitting in Congress's lap and trying to turn infiltrators into a vote bank, warning that India is not a dharmshala. In an apparent reference to the imminent split in Thackeray-led Sena (UBT), Shah said that earlier people had to refer to the Shinde-led faction separately, but "now no faction remains, and there is only one Shiv Sena, which is headed by Eknath Shinde". The Sena (UBT) is staring at a crisis as at least six Lok Sabha MPs are believed to have revolted against Thackeray and are likely to cross over to the ruling Shiv Sena. "These Congress leaders and Uddhav ji, who is sitting in the lap of the Congress, want to survive by turning infiltrators into a vote bank. I want to tell them clearly that this country is not a dharmshala (charitable shelter). Only those who belong to this country will live here," Shah said. He said every infiltrator would be identifi

Facing revolt by six MPs, Uddhav says ready to quit as party chief

The Shiv Sena's 60th foundation day exposed deepening fault lines as Uddhav sought to contain a rebellion and Shinde projected further political gains

6 Sena (UBT) MPs skip meeting, switchover to Shinde camp appears imminent

The writing appeared to be on the wall for Shiv Sena (UBT) as six of its nine Lok Sabha MPs skipped its parliamentary party meeting here on Thursday, signalling that a formal crossover to the ruling Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde may be only a matter of time. Sena (UBT) MPs Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai and Rajabhau Waje attended the meeting, along with Sanjay Raut, the party's lone Rajya Sabha MP. The absence of the remaining six MPs all but confirmed a split in the party's parliamentary ranks. The MPs who skipped the meeting are Nagesh Aashtikar, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Dina Patil, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar and Bhausaheb Wakchaure. Sources said all six dissident MPs have signed a letter seeking a merger with the Shinde-led Sena and submitted it to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The process, however, is not yet complete, as the speaker's office is understood to require the physical appearance of some of the MPs for verification and that is "expected to happen in the coming .

Buddha's teachings relevant in conflict-ridden world: Eknath Shinde

The world needs "Buddha, not war" to navigate global conflicts, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde has said, citing that Buddhism represents a socio-political revolution essential for social transformation. Addressing the 8th International Buddhist Dhamma Conference here on Sunday, Shinde characterised Buddhism as a movement for change. The conference was organised by the Buddha Ratna Sagar Welfare Foundation and attended by monks, scholars and followers from India and abroad. The deputy chief minister was conferred the Buddha Ratna award at the event. "Dhamma is a way of life based on truth, non-violence and compassion. Social transformation is possible only through the thoughts of Buddha," Shinde said. Buddhism represents a socio-political revolution and a path for social transformation, he said, asserting that the principles of the faith are highly relevant in the conflict-ridden world. "The world does not want war; it wants Buddha. Hate cannot end hate; it can onl

Maharashtra on track to contribute $1.5 tn to India's GDP: Dy CM Shinde

Deputy CM Eknath Shinde says Maharashtra is on track to contribute $1.5 trillion to India's GDP as infrastructure expansion and investment drive the state's growth

164 tourists from Maharashtra stranded in UAE return home, says Shiv Sena

A total of 164 tourists from Maharashtra stranded in the United Arab Emirates due to the US-Israel-Iran conflict have returned home in two flights arranged by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, a Shiv Sena functionary said on Wednesday. Two aircraft carrying 76 and 88 tourists landed here Tuesday night. These included 84 students from the Pune-based Indira School of Business Studies and residents from Thane, Ahilyanagar and Pune, he said. The special fights were arranged by Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, the party leader said. In a statement on Tuesday, Shinde's office had said that two flights carrying stranded Maharashtra residents would take off for Mumbai from the UAE's Fujairah Airport at 3.30 pm and 4.30 pm. "The Shiv Sena was successful in bringing back many residents from Maharashtra who were stranded in Dubai," Shinde said in a post on X, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for their leadership. He further said it gave satisfaction to gi

CM Fadnavis, Dy CMs pay tributes to Shivaji Maharaj at Shivneri Fort

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar paid tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his birth anniversary at the Shivneri Fort in Pune on Thursday. The Maratha warrior king was born in Shivneri, located in Junnar tehsil of Pune district, in 1630. Fadnavis and his deputies attended various programmes, including the 'cradle ceremony', symbolising the legendary king's birth and naming rituals, at Shivneri. A large number of followers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj gathered at the fort to take part in his birth anniversary celebration. Earlier in the day, three persons were injured after being pushed at the fort amid overcrowding during the celebration, police said.

Mumbai mayor race: Shinde Sena shifts newly elected corporators to hotel

The Shiv Sena has decided to move its newly elected corporators to a luxury hotel as the race to pick the next Mumbai mayor heats up. The Eknath Shinde-led outfit contested 90 seats and won 29 in the Mumbai civic polls, results of which were announced on Friday. A senior party leader said the corporators were being moved to a luxury hotel in Bandra to help them "refresh" after a hectic election season. The leader, however, gave no clarity on how long the corporators will be housed in the luxury hotel. Another party functionary cited orientation of newly elected members behind the move, adding the corporators will be housed in the hotel for a couple of days. The move comes amid Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray's remark earlier in the day that his party could install its mayor in the metropolis if God wills. Shinde's 28 corporators are crucial for the BJP to elect their mayor for the first time in the city. The BJP won 89 seats in the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal ...

NCP also in talks with Shiv Sena over seats in Pune civic polls: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said that his NCP is in talks with the Shiv Sena, led by his peer Eknath Shinde, over seat sharing for Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic polls. He was speaking to reporters after paying tribute at the Jay Stambh' (victory pillar) near Pune on the 208th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle. Pawar said that although they are in touch with Shiv Sena over seats, the picture will be clearer after the scrutiny of nomination papers and withdrawals by candidates. Earlier, the party had said that it had tied up with Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) for the two municipal corporations. NCP and Shiv Sena are constituents of the ruling Mahayuti, along with the BJP, while the NCP (SP) belongs to the Opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi. However, in this year's civic polls, state-level alliances have blurred with parties joining hands with rival camps in several cities. The nomination process for the January 15 polls began on December 23 and ended on

Over 128K people bitten by stray dogs in Mumbai in 2024: Eknath Shinde

More than 1.28 lakh people in Mumbai were bitten by stray dogs in 2024, raising concerns about the safety of citizens and prompting authorities to undertake measures like sterilisation and vaccination of free-roaming canines to control their population. This information was shared by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in the state legislative council on Friday in a written reply to queries by MLCs Sunil Shinde, Vasant Khandelwal, Sandip Joshi and others. These legislators raised concerns about the increasing number of stray dogs in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) limits and a similar menace in Nagpur. Shinde stated that more than 9,400 people were bitten in Nagpur, the second capital of Maharashtra, in 2024. He said that a survey conducted by the BMC via Human Society International, as per the Animal Welfare Board rules, revealed that the number of stray dogs had come down from 95,172 in 2014 to 90,757 in 2024. In Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) limits, 9,427 peop

Told to form alliance at any cost before civic polls: Maharashtra BJP Prez

Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan on Friday said that senior leaders of their party have directed that an alliance must be forged at any cost ahead of the major municipal corporation elections which are to be held before January 31. We have been clearly told by the seniors that there should be an alliance at any cost before the civic polls, Chavan said, adding that the matter has been discussed at length by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, who also heads the Shiv Sena. Chavan said elections to 29 municipal corporations, including the Mumbai civic body, are likely to be held in January, while the Zilla Parishad polls may get delayed as the matter is currently before the high court. He said Fadnavis had asked him to hold another round of discussions, following which he met Shinde at the latter's residence on Thursday night. We have created some committees in municipal corporations. But in Mumbai or Thane, seniors have already decided to have an ...

Maharashtra recorded over 3 million dog bite cases in 6 yrs: Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra recorded more than 30 lakh cases of dog bites in the last six years, while 30 persons died of rabies between 2021 and 2023, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde informed the state assembly on Wednesday. Local bodies have been directed to intensify animal birth control and anti-rabies vaccination programmes, he said in a written reply. Shinde was responding to a question by Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Sunil Prabhu, amid concerns over the rising number of stray dogs, especially in major cities like Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Kalyan-Dombivli. The deputy CM said there has been a significant increase in dog bite incidents in both rural and urban areas. "Maharashtra has recorded more than 30 lakh cases of dog bites in the last six years, while 30 persons died of rabies between 2021 and 2023," he said. Replying to another query, Shinde said local bodies have been directed to intensify animal birth control and anti-rabies vaccination programmes in accordance with the Supreme Court

Shinde warns officials of 'wrath' if Shiv Sena workers face injustice

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday asked officials not to pay heed to "false complaints" against his party workers, and warned that if any injustice was done to them, they would have to deal with him. His remarks came on a day when the Sindhudurg Police registered an FIR against Nilesh Rane, an MLA of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, for 'trespassing' into a BJP supporter's house. Rane had 'raided' the BJP supporter's house and claimed to have found bags of cash meant for distribution to voters ahead of civic polls. Speaking at a rally at Phaltan in Satara district, Shinde said those who do injustice will not be spared. "I want to tell officers not to do any illegal work. Do not pay heed to false complaints, and if anyone is pressuring you then do not succumb to it. If you do injustice to our party workers then you have to deal with Eknath Shinde," the deputy CM said. "I know who does what. I am quiet and let me be quiet. I know the secrets of everyone. I do not

Shiv Sena symbol row: SC fixes Nov 12 for hearing Uddhav faction's plea

The Supreme Court on Wednesday fixed November 12 for hearing a plea of the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena against the Maharashtra Assembly speaker's decision to allot the 'bow and arrow' party symbol to the Eknath Shinde-led faction. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said the hearing on the plea will start on November 12 and if need arises, it would continue on November 13. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Shiv Sena-UBT, said that local body elections are likely to be held in January next year and therefore there is a sense of urgency in the matter. He said the court may hear the matter finally before the local body polls. "We will hear all the parties on November 12 and if need arises, we can continue the hearing on November 13," the bench said. Senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Neeraj Kishan Kaul appeared for the Shinde faction. On July 14, the top court fixed the matter for final hearing, saying the issue had been pending for long and

Elective merit key factor in seats allocation for BMC polls: Eknath Shinde

Elective merit will be a key factor in deciding seats for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena head Eknath Shinde has said. Addressing shakha pramukhs (branch heads) of Shiv Sena on Sunday, Shinde also said the collective victory of Mahayuti is more important than the number of seats allotted to each constituent of the alliance in the BMC elections. He said due respect will be given to the Sena during a seat-sharing agreement of Mahayuti. The Mahayuti comprises the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, headed by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. "It is not important as to who gets how many seats. What is important is the elective merit, which will be the key in deciding the seats," Shinde said. He said the Sena is holding Lok Sabha constituency-wise meetings ahead of the civic polls, expected to be conducted by the end of January 2026. While shakha pramukhs, the crucial cogs in Shiv Sena, are well aware of the nature of work, they sh

Shah visits Lalbaugcha Raja, CM residence and meets DyCM Shinde in Mumbai

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is in Mumbai to attend the ongoing Ganesh festivities, visited Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' residence and later took 'darshan' of the famous Lalbaugcha Raja Ganpati with his family members. Shah also held a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and state BJP leaders. Shah arrived in the city on Friday night. On Saturday morning, he met Shinde at the state government's Sahyadri Guest House in south Mumbai, where he also interacted with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) joint general secretary Atul Limaye, Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan and newly appointed Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam. Shah later visited 'Varsha', the official residence of CM Fadnavis, party sources said. After that the Union minister visited the famous Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh mandal with his family members as part of his annual tradition. CM Fadnavis and Deputy CM Shinde also accompanied them. Shah is also scheduled to pay a visit to the Ganesh pandals in

Amit Shah 'ultimately responsible' for ₹50,000 cr alleged land scam: Raut

UBT's Raut has alleged collusion between the state government's revenue, Urban development department, CIDCO officials and ministers to provide this parcel of land to the family

Pothole-free roads, metro boost: Shinde outlines MahaYuti's Mumbai plan

In a veiled attack on Shiv Sena-UBT, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that "some treated Mumbai as a golden goose" and forced people to travel through potholed and congested roads, which will be a key issue in the upcoming local bodies elections in the state. In a video interview with PTI, Shinde said he and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were busy giving Mumbai an image makeover, and the financial capital of the nation will get "pothole-free roads" and better sanitation facilities in the next 18 months. He also asserted that the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP MahaYuti alliance will contest the upcoming local bodies elections together and expressed confidence about emerging victorious. "We contested the Lok Sabha elections together and won. The BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP MahaYuti won the Maharashtra elections. We will win the local bodies elections as MahaYuti alliance," Shinde said. The rapid development of infrastructure across the state and particularly in Mumbai and suburban ar

Sena (UBT) demands 20% reservation for 'Marathi Manoos' in Mumbai buildings

The Shiv Sena (UBT) lawmakers on Friday demanded that 20 per cent houses in buildings in Mumbai be reserved for native Marathi speakers. Leader of Opposition in the legislative council Ambadas Danve and Milind Narvekar gave a letter with this demand to minister Shambhuraj Desai, who belongs to the rival Shiv Sena. "We demand 20 per cent of houses in buildings in Mumbai for Marathi Manoos," Nareveak said in a post on X. On Thursday, Narvekar had asked in the legislative council whether a social organisation had demanded that 50 per cent housing units in the city be reserved for the Marathi people, and if the government had taken any decision on it. In a written reply, deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who is also the Housing Minister, said his department had not received any such letter. Replying on behalf of Shinde, Mines Minister Shambhuraj Desai had said when the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray was in power during 2019-2022, it did not br