'Shiv Shakti-Bhim Shakti alliance': Red alert for BJP as Thackeray's Sena joins hands with Ambedkar ahead of BMC polls

In a major development in the politically volatile state of Maharashtra, the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) headed by Prakash Ambedkar, grandson of B R Ambedkar, on Wednesday forged a pre-poll alliance with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, reported The Indian Express. 

The “alliance of Shiv Shakti and Bhim Shakti” is set to have a major impact on several upcoming elections, including BMC polls in 2023, and the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly polls in 2024. Besides, the alliance may also change the social fabric of the state politics. 

The Indian Express quoted Ambedkar saying that Thackeray will, however, have to figure out whether it will continue the alliance with the Congress and NCP. “Thackeray will have to work out whether it will continue alliance with Congress and NCP. And then take VBA as fourth alliance partner. Or whether Shiv Sena (UBT) and VBA will be alliance partners,” he was quoted as saying.    

The report further quoted Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) sources saying that the former Maharashtra CM has decided to get new partners on board without affecting its MVA alliance involving the Congress and NCP. 

The Sena (UBT)-VBA alliance comes as a reason to worry for the ruling alliance of BJP, Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Republican Party of India (A) led by Union minister Ramdas Athavale. Thackeray’s move to join hands with Ambedkar will further lead to consolidation of OBC, Marathi and Dalit votes in favour of the MVA.

With the BJP no more in alliance with the Thackerays, it might face a tough time garnering the votes OBCs, for which it has been making desperate attempts. The Maratha vote bank, anyway, has always gravitates towards the established Congress-NCP leaders. 

An alliance with B R Ambedkar’s grandson will help Thackeray revive his party in the wake of an exodus of MPs and MLAs who coalesced into the Shinde-led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena following a vertical split in the party earlier this year. In particular, it could give the former chief minister a leg up in the Vidarbha region during the 2024 general and assembly elections, according to political analyst Hemant Desai.

The original Shiv Sena, under its founder late Balasaheb Thackeray, has always had a tumultuous history with Dalit organisations, especially at the times of Dalit Panther, and later during the name change movement of Marathwada University.

However, in the last years of his life, Balasaheb Thackeray took the initiative by joining hands with RPI (Athawale) leader Ramdas Athawale, giving rise to the term “Shivshakti-Bhimshakti”. It, however, did not sustain for long.