The Mahayuti ruling coalition in Maharashtra is showing cracks as both the BJP and Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) decided to approach the local body elections individually. Both parties are taking on each other in the Palghar and Dahanu municipal elections, after fighting unitedly in the Parliament and Assembly elections.
The infighting first came to the fore when Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, during a meeting in Dahanu, made a cryptic remark against the BJP. Shinde targeted the local leaders, stating that the arrogant Ravana's Lanka will be burned to end the monopoly in Dahanu. “In Dahanu, we have to come together against arrogance and monopolistic rule. Ravana had arrogance, but his Lanka was burnt down. That is what you want to do on December 2. We want to end corruption in the taluka and carry out development work here,” Eknath Shinde had said.
Maharashtra Politics heats up!
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) November 26, 2025
Eknath Shinde makes a pointing statement “Ravan ki Lanka jal gayi.”
Devendra Fadnavis strikes back: BJP walks the path of Ram, not Ravan and the candidate’s name is Bharat, Ram’s own brother. Lanka isn’t ours. We burn Lanka, not become it. pic.twitter.com/xxbIE7eyMn
“This taluka has been backward for many years, and we are going to bring it on the path of development. Special efforts will be made to increase industries in Dahanu, and the problems of fishermen will be solved as a priority. The government will work to promote employment generation by implementing a pollution-free industry policy and setting up projects through housing construction,” Shinde offered voters.
But the remark didn’t go down well with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was there in the area to campaign for the BJP candidate. Fadnavis snapped back that the BJP believes in Lord Shri Ram. “Oh, Lanka is going to burn. No matter how much someone says that they will burn your Lanka, ignore it. Because we do not live in Lanka. We are followers of Rama, not Ravana. Therefore, we will do the work of burning Lanka,” Fadnavis replied.
The war of words hinted that all is not well within the BJP and Shiv Sena. The BJP has recently inducted several corporators and office-bearers of Shiv Sena into the party.
Shinde's son, MP Shrikant Shinde, and other ministers have openly expressed their displeasure over this. A week ago, Eknath Shinde met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the capital Delhi, during which he is said to have complained about BJP state president Ravindra Chavan. It is learnt that Amit Shah replied that it is every party’s duty to take care of their workers and office bearers.
However, Shinde is now attempting to rubbish allegations that he was targeting the BJP in Dahanu. “Everyone knows who Ravana is,” Shinde said, adding that the words "Ego-Ravan's Lanka" were not for the BJP but for the Thackeray group.
