The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, 17 June squarely blamed the internal turmoil within the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on what it called a deliberate departure from the core Hindu ideology of the late Bal Thackeray — this coming four years after the faction's first major split in 2022. The BJP's broadside followed fresh allegations by Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut, who claimed that monetary inducements were used to draw party leaders into the Eknath Shinde-led rival faction.

BJP's Core Charge: Ideology Abandoned

Responding directly to Raut's allegations, BJP leader Rohan Gupta questioned the Thackeray camp's ideological credentials. 'This reflects their real mindset. A party that claims to be built on the principles of Balasaheb Thackeray — where does that party stand today? Today, it stands with the Congress on all issues,' Gupta said.

He pressed further: 'If it can stand with the Congress even in matters of appeasement, then where is its original ideology?' Gupta also accused Raut of conspiring to weaken Shiv Sena-UBT from within by acting as a 'well-wisher' of rival political formations.

Multiple BJP Voices Pile On

BJP MP Dinesh Sharma alleged that disenchantment within the Shiv Sena ranks dates to the moment the party aligned with the Indian National Congress (Congress), which he described as sharing the ideological lineage of the Muslim League. 'Those who themselves diverted from the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray are today accusing the BJP,' Sharma said.

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi offered a pointed reading of the crisis: 'Leaders are not defecting from the party; in fact, the party itself is breaking up.' He urged the Shiv Sena-UBT leadership to 'self-introspect.'

BJP leader Ram Kadam identified what he called two structural causes behind the party's repeated fractures — Uddhav Thackeray's personal style of leadership and his distance from Hindutva. 'Not meeting people, staying inactive, living under the illusion of self-glorification, and his behaviour towards party workers have all contributed,' Kadam said, adding that the language used by both Thackeray and Raut was itself evidence of why members were leaving.

Attack on Sanjay Raut's Language

BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban went further in targeting Raut personally. 'Sanjay Raut has developed a habit of using below-the-belt language, but such words should not be used in public life. His frustration is clearly visible,' Ban said, adding that Raut 'seems to need mental treatment' — a remark likely to draw a sharp response from the Thackeray camp.

Context and What Comes Next

The 2022 split that produced the Shinde faction — which subsequently aligned with the BJP — remains the defining rupture in Maharashtra's political landscape. Shiv Sena-UBT has since positioned itself within the INDIA opposition bloc alongside the Congress, a move the BJP has consistently used as ideological ammunition. Notably, fresh defections or realignments ahead of any state-level political event could further test the Thackeray faction's cohesion. With the BJP amplifying its ideological critique in unison, the pressure on Shiv Sena-UBT's leadership to consolidate its base is mounting.