No Wrestling in Friendship: Shinde's Message to Shiv Sena
Mumbai, October 30: After the Mahayuti secured two seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) elections 2026, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has asked Shiv Sena leaders to speak less and remain composed, warning that political differences should not spill into the open.
Shinde has directed leaders of Shiv Sena and the BJP to refrain from making public statements against one another, so that the alliance stays cohesive. Explaining his stance, he said, "There should be no wrestling in friendship."
The election results had barely been declared when reports of discord within the Mahayuti began to grow louder. The BJP publicly accused Shiv Sena of failing to offer proper cooperation and support in Pune and Nagpur, claiming that this had hurt the alliance's performance. Shiv Sena had responded to these charges. However, Shinde has now told his MLAs and ministers to stop discussing the issue.
The guidance followed an important meeting on Thursday night, where Shinde gave instructions to Shiv Sena leaders and office-bearers. He asked that the controversy arising from the Legislative Council results not be pushed further.
He emphasised that the Mahayuti should reflect collectively on the outcome. Mistakes made during the campaign must not be repeated, he said, and the alliance must remain free of cracks, so that internal disputes do not hand an advantage to rivals.
Shinde also said that the loss in every seat would be reviewed. He has sought detailed reports from local office-bearers, asking them to identify where errors occurred during joint work within the Mahayuti and what shortcomings remained.
According to him, these issues will be taken up in detail at a meeting of the Mahayuti's coordination committee and senior leaders.
For now, party spokespersons and office-bearers have been told not to criticise allies while speaking to the media. Shinde has asked all leaders to avoid mutual differences and public exchanges, and to unite and get back to work.