Is all well within Mahayuti? Zilla Parishad polls reveal local unease as Sena gets left out

Cracks have yet again surfaced within the ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra after a series of Zilla Parishad (ZP) leadership contests in key districts saw the Shiv Sena get left out of power, triggering a sharp exchange between the party and its ally BJP. Even as senior leaders of both parties maintained that the alliance remains intact, developments point to growing friction over power-sharing and local political manoeuvring at the local level. The tensions have come into sharp focus during elections for Zilla Parishad (ZP) president and vice-president posts across districts, with the Sena accusing the BJP of systematically trying to sideline it. Advertisement The latest unease reflects a broader pattern in the BJP-Shiv Sena relationship since the Mahayuti stormed to power in the 2024 Assembly elections, where the BJP emerged as the single-largest party. The BJP has rejected the latest accusations, accusing the Sena of exploring parallel political arrangements.