Thackeray’s Shiv Sena forges alliance with pro-Maratha Sambhaji Brigade 

Alliance an effort to save democracy, says Sena chief

Bereft of new allies after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s intra-party rebellion split the Shiv Sena, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction on Friday announced an alliance with the pro-Maratha Sambhaji Brigade.

This decision is being seen as a way for Mr. Thackeray to make good his loss after Mr. Shinde’s revolt has severely depleted his faction of a number of Maratha leaders.

Speaking in Mumbai, Mr. Thackeray, the Sena president and former Chief Minister, stressed that the alliance with the Brigade had not been done keeping in mind electoral gains, but to preserve regional identity and save democracy.

Hitting out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), his estranged one-time ally, Mr. Thackeray said: “Today, the Constitution and the very essence of democracy is in danger. There are some people [alluding to the BJP] who regard finishing-off regional parties as ‘democracy’. Hence, to uphold democratic ideals and preserve regional identity, we have formed this alliance with the Brigade. Had this alliance been only for electoral gain, then the Sambhaji Brigade would not have come and joined us now.”

Responding to the different ideologies of the Brigade and the Sena, Mr. Thackeray said that even the BJP today did not follow the ideology of its parent organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

“The BJP of today ignores the stance taken by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat,” alleged Mr. Thackeray.

Manoj Akhare, president, Sambhaji Brigade, said that the decision to ally with Mr. Thackeray’s Sena was taken keeping in mind the “welfare of Maharashtra and given that democracy was under threat in the country today.”