“Thackeray is the breath of Maharashtra!” proclaimed Uddhav Thackeray’s faction Shiv Sena (UBT) on social media as it celebrated its parent party’s sixtieth foundation day on Friday (June 19, 2026). Meanwhile, its rival faction, which inherited the party’s name and its iconic ‘Bow and arrow’ symbol, shared a photo of its leader — Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, declaring ‘an unbroken bond of speeches, ideology, Hindutva, tradition and Shiv Sena’. महाराष्ट्राचा श्वास....ठाकरे! pic.twitter.com/aFAi5kLJZN— ShivSena - शिवसेना Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (@ShivSenaUBT_) June 19, 2026
The two factions have annually held a ‘Dasara Melava’ to declare themselves as the ‘real’ Shiv Sena, chart the party’s future agenda, and take potshots at each other. While the Election Commission awarded the party’s name and symbol to Mr. Shinde, and Speaker Rahul Narwekar recognised it as the ‘real’ Shiv Sena, the Supreme Court is yet to decide on Mr. Thackeray’s challenge to both these decisions. The party which started out to unite the disillusioned ‘Marathi Manoos’ in 1966, stands at its weakest today as Shiv Sena (UBT) faces another rebellion from six out of its nine Lok Sabha MPs.अतूट बंध!वारशाचे, विचारांचे, हिंदुत्त्वाच्या परंपरेचे आणि शिवसेनेचे...#Shivsena#EknathShinde#vardhapandin#BalasahebThackeray#maharashtrapic.twitter.com/FSW1K1oDA5— Shivsena - शिवसेना (@Shivsenaofc) June 19, 2026
