Editing Shiv Sena

{{Short description|Political party in Maharashtra, India}}
{{other uses|Shiv Sena (disambiguation)}}
{{protection padlock|small=yes}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
<!-- Please do not change this to past tense. There is currently no verifiable source indicating that Shiv Sena has been dissolved. The party should be described in the present tense unless reliable evidence suggests otherwise. -->
{{Infobox Indian political party
|party_name      = Shiv Sena
|native_name     = <!--leave blank per MOS:INDIA-->
|logo              = Logo of Shiv Sena.svg
|colorcode       = {{party color|Shiv Sena }}
|abbreviation    = SHS
|headquarters= Anand Ashram, [[Thane]], [[Thane district]], [[Maharashtra]], India<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thane/anand-dighes-thane-residence-now-shiv-sena-central-office/articleshow/98192664.cms|first1=Manoj|last1=Badgeri|first2=Chaitanya|last2=Marpakwar|date=24 February 2023|website=[[The Times of India]]|title=Anand Dighe's Thane residence now Shiv Sena central office}}</ref>
|loksabha_leader   = [[Shrikant Shinde]]
|ppchairman        = [[Shrirang Barne]]
|rajyasabha_leader = [[Milind Deora]]
|leader            = [[Eknath Shinde]]<ref name=K>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/shinde-chairs-shiv-senas-first-national-executive-meeting-seeks-bharat-ratna-for-savarkar/article66537902.ece|title=Eknath Shinde to remain Shiv Sena's chief leader|first=Abhinay|last=Deshpande|newspaper=The Hindu |date=21 February 2023|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref>
|chairman        = [[Eknath Shinde]]
|foundation      =  {{Start date and age|df=yes|p=y|1966|06|9}}
|founder         = [[Bal Thackeray]]
|split           = 
|ideology     = <!--(Needs post-2022 source)--->{{nowrap|[[Conservatism]] ([[Conservatism in India|Indian]])<ref name="SS1">—{{cite web|url=https://theprint.in/politics/like-mann-ki-baat-and-chai-pe-charcha-shiv-sena-starts-branding-its-public-interactions/280119/|title=Like Mann Ki Baat and Chai Pe Charcha, Shiv Sena starts branding its public interactions|date=22 August 2019|publisher=[[ThePrint]]|access-date=16 February 2020|quote=...the usually-conservative Shiv Sena has now moved to give itself a branding twist with events like 'Aaditya Samvad','Friends of Aaditya' and 'Mauli Samvad' — with a bit of advice from poll strategist Prashant Kishor.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216124516/https://theprint.in/politics/like-mann-ki-baat-and-chai-pe-charcha-shiv-sena-starts-branding-its-public-interactions/280119/|archive-date=16 February 2020|url-status=dead}}<br />—{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/no-chance-for-young-blood-shiv-sena-has-bet-on-ageing-war-horses-say-analysts/articleshow/68543562.cms|title=No chance for young blood? Shiv Sena has bet on ageing war horses, say analysts|date=24 March 2019|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=16 February 2020|quote=Renominations for leaders like Chandrakant Khaire, Bhavna Gawli, Anandrao Adsul and Union minister Anant Gite for the Lok Sabha elections reflect the Shiv Sena's conservative mindset, they added}}<br />—{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/22/magazine/the-slumdog-millionaire-architect.html|title=The Slumdog Millionaire Architect|date=19 June 2014|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=16 February 2020|quote=In 1995, when the conservative Shiv Sena Party took power in elections in Maharashtra state (Mumbai is its capital)...}}</ref><br>[[Social conservatism]]<ref>{{cite news|work=[[Financial Times]]|title=Mumbai on high alert after politician dies|date=17 November 2012|url=https://www.ft.com/content/ee4d2c58-30d5-11e2-a11a-00144feabdc0|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/ee4d2c58-30d5-11e2-a11a-00144feabdc0|archive-date=10 December 2022|url-access=subscription|url-status=live}}</ref><br>[[Marathi people|Marathi]] [[Regionalism (politics)|regionalism]] <br>[[Hindutva]]<ref>{{Cite book|title=Bal Thackeray and the rise of Shiv Sena|first=Vaibhav|last=Purandare|year=2014|publisher=Roli Books}}</ref><br />[[Hindu nationalism]]<ref>{{cite news|work=[[Arab News]]|title=India's ultra-right Shiv Sena party forms coalition government with seculars|date=26 November 2019|url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1591041/world|access-date=28 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191129202915/https://www.arabnews.com/node/1591041/world|archive-date=29 November 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref><br>[[Ultranationalism]]<ref name="SS2"><br />— {{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/257394.stm|title=South Asia &#124; Indian cricket offices attacked |work=BBC News|date=1999-01-18|access-date=2015-12-02}}<br />—{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/406405.stm|title=South Asia &#124; Poll ban for Hindu leader|work=BBC News|date=1999-07-28|access-date=2015-12-02}}<br />—{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/259676.stm|title=South Asia &#124; Hindu activists call off cricket protest|work=BBC News|date=1999-01-21|access-date=2015-12-02}}<br />—{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/mistry-defends-book-dropped-at-mumbai-university-1.891373|title=Mistry defends book dropped at Mumbai University – Arts & Entertainment – CBC News|publisher=Cbc.ca|date=2010-10-19|access-date=2015-12-02}}<br />—{{cite web|date=8 March 2012|author=Mark Magnier|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/world/la-xpm-2012-mar-08-la-fg-india-temple-20120309-story.html|title=In India, battle continues over Hindu temple's riches – latimes|access-date=2015-12-02}}</ref><ref name="Joshi, R. 1970">Joshi, R. (1970). The Shiv Sena: A Movement in Search of Legitimacy. [[Asian Survey]], 10(11), 967–978. {{doi|10.2307/2642817}}</ref><ref>Morkhandikar, R. S. (1967). The Shiv Sena—An Eruption of Sub-Nationalism. [[Economic and Political Weekly]], 2(42), 1903–1906. {{JSTOR|24478083}}</ref><br />[[Economic nationalism]]<ref>{{cite book|first=Sunila|last=Kale|title=Electrifying India: Regional Political Economies of Development|publisher=[[Stanford University Press]]|year=2014|page=94}}</ref><br />[[Right-wing populism]]<ref>{{cite book|title=Comparative Political Thought|publisher=Routledge|first=Michael|last=Freesden|year=2013|page=82}}</ref>}}
|alliance = [[Maha Yuti]] (Maharashtra)<br>[[National Democratic Alliance]] (national)
| colours               = {{colour box|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}} [[Shades of orange|Orange]]
|position          = [[Right wing]] to [[far-right politics|far-right]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/victory-for-hindutva-ideology-of-balasaheb-thackeray-maha-cm-eknath-shinde-122070100221_1.html|title=Victory for Hindutva ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray|date=July 2022 }}</ref>
|website  = {{URL|https://shivsenacentraloffice.com/}}
|symbol   = [[File:Indian Election Symbol Bow And Arrow2.svg|150px]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Eknath Sinde faction gets Shiv Sena party name, bow and arrow symbol|url=https://telanganatoday.com/eknath-shinde-faction-gets-shiv-sena-party-name-bow-and-arrow-symbol|work=Telangana Today}}</ref>
|loksabha_seats    = {{Composition bar|7|543|hex={{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|rajyasabha_seats  = {{Composition bar|1|245|hex={{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}   
| state_seats_name  = [[State Legislative Assembly (India)|State Legislative Assemblies]]
| state_seats       = {{hidden
|List
|headerstyle=background:#ccccff
|style=text-align:center; |{{Composition bar|57|288|hex={{party color|Shiv Sena}}}} ([[Maharashtra Legislative Assembly]]) 
{{Composition bar|2|200|hex={{party color|Shiv Sena}}}} ([[Rajasthan Legislative Assembly]]) }} 
| state2_seats_name = [[Maharashtra Legislative Council]]
|state2_seats       = {{Composition bar|6|78|hex={{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|flag               = Shiv Sena-1575560401.jpg
|eci                = State Party
|party_logo = 
|youth    = Yuva Sena
|students = Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena (BVS)
|women    = Shiv Sena Mahila Aghadi
}}
'''Shiv Sena''' is a right-wing Marathi regional political party in India, active primarily in the state of [[Maharashtra]]. It was founded on 19 June 1966 by [[Bal Thackeray]], a political cartoonist, with the goal of advocating for the rights of the native Marathi-speaking population in Mumbai.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hansen |first=Thomas Blom |title=Wages of Violence: Naming and Identity in Postcolonial Bombay |year=2001 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=9780691088249 |pages=90–92}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Bal Thackeray and the rise of Shiv Sena |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-20383450 |work=BBC News |date=18 November 2012 |access-date=22 April 2025}}</ref>
<!-- Please do not change this to past tense. There is currently no verifiable source indicating that Shiv Sena has been dissolved. The party should be described in the present tense unless reliable evidence suggests otherwise. -->

The party initially drew support from the city's working-class Marathi population but later expanded its platform to include a broader Hindutva ideology.<ref>{{cite news |last=Jaffrelot |first=Christophe |title=The Hindu nationalist movement and Indian politics |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9Ue-DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA202 |work=Penguin |year=1999}}</ref> It gained political prominence in Mumbai and has dominated the [[Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation]] for several decades.<ref>{{cite news |title=Shiv Sena retains BMC |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/shiv-sena-retains-bmc-bjp-close-second-4538943/ |work=The Indian Express |date=24 February 2017 |access-date=22 April 2025}}</ref>

Shiv Sena entered into an alliance with the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) in the late 1980s, which helped it gain power both in Mumbai and later in the Maharashtra state government.<ref>{{cite news |title=The BJP-Shiv Sena Alliance: A Timeline |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/the-bjp-shiv-sena-alliance-a-timeline-2131125 |work=NDTV |date=12 November 2019 |access-date=22 April 2025}}</ref> In 2019, after a fallout with the BJP, Shiv Sena broke the alliance and formed a coalition government with the [[Nationalist Congress Party]] (NCP) and the [[Indian National Congress]], with [[Uddhav Thackeray]] as Chief Minister.<ref>{{cite news |title=Uddhav Thackeray sworn in as Maharashtra CM |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/uddhav-thackeray-sworn-in-as-maharashtra-cm/article30104638.ece |work=The Hindu |date=28 November 2019 |access-date=22 April 2025}}</ref>

Initially apolitical, the organisation was patronised by the then Chief Minister [[Vasantrao Naik]] who used it for curbing trade unions and maintain stranglehold of the [[Indian National Congress|Congress]].<ref name="revolutionarydemocracy">{{cite web|title=Bal Thackeray|website=revolutionarydemocracy.org|date=2012-11-19|url=https://www.revolutionarydemocracy.org/rdv19n1/thackeray.htm|access-date=2023-06-30}}</ref><ref name="Patel Thorner 1995">{{cite book|last1=Patel|first1=Sujata|last2=Thorner|first2=Alice|title=Bombay: Metaphor for Modern India|publisher=Oxford University Press|series=Oxford India paperbacks|year=1995|isbn=978-0-19-563688-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d-TZAAAAMAAJ|page=272|quote=The then chief minister of Maharashtra, Vasantrao Naik, deliberately encouraged this newly formed political grouping— despite its narrow concern with Maharashtra for Maharashtrians - to break the stranglehold of the Left unions}}</ref><ref name="Srivastava">{{cite book|last=Srivastava|first=A.|title=Sensex Of Regional Parties: Bestseller Book by Aaku Srivastava: Sensex Of Regional Parties|publisher=Prabhat Prakashan|year=2022|isbn=978-93-5521-236-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OEeHEAAAQBAJ|page=80}}</ref> The organisation at the same time carried out pro-[[Marathi people|Marathi]] [[Nativism (politics)|nativist]] movement in [[Mumbai]] in which it agitated for preferential treatment for the Marathi people over migrants from other parts of India.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/west/why-does-shinde-rebellion-hit-so-hard-a-look-at-shiv-senas-history-1122180.html| title=Why does Shinde rebellion hit so hard? A look at Shiv Sena's history|date=28 June 2022}}</ref>

Although Shiv Sena's primary base always remained in [[Maharashtra]], it tried to expand to a pan-Indian base. In the 1970s, it gradually moved from advocating a pro-Marathi ideology to supporting a broader Hindu nationalist agenda,<ref name="Rediff article: sons of the soil, lungi slogan, shakhas, south Indians in 1970, shift to Hindutva, defeat of communists/" /> and aligned itself with the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP). Shiv Sena took part in Mumbai ([[Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation|BMC]]) municipal elections for its entire existence. In 1989, it entered into an alliance with the BJP for [[Lok Sabha]] as well as [[Maharashtra Legislative Assembly]] elections. The alliance in the latter was temporarily broken in the [[2014 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2014 elections]] due to seat sharing adjustment, although it was quickly reformed. Shiv Sena was one of the founding members of the BJP-led [[National Democratic Alliance]] (NDA) in 1998, and it also participated in [[Vajpayee Government]] from 1998 to 2004 and the [[Narendra Modi Government]] from 2014 to 2019.

After [[2019 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election]], the party left the alliance after disagreements with BJP over the CM post. Under [[Uddhav Thackeray]], Shiva Sena formed an alliance with its historic rivals, the [[Indian National Congress]] and [[Nationalist Congress Party]]<ref>{{Cite web|date=2022-09-22|title=Shinde to Uddhav: Have you become secular now?|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/shinde-to-uddhav-have-you-become-secular-now-8165241/|access-date=2023-02-20|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title= Shiv Sena has turned pseudo-secular, says Devendra Fadnavis|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/shiv-sena-has-turned-pseudo-secular-says-devendra-fadnavis/article65308835.ece|access-date=2023-02-20|website=The Hindu|date=10 April 2022| last1=Banerjee|first1=Shoumojit}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=शिवसेना आधीपेक्षा मावळ झाली आहे का?|url=https://www.bbc.com/marathi/india-53098248&ved=2ahUKEwjh55XU86P9AhV4-jgGHYjoD8kQu7wFegQIFxAE&usg=AOvVaw0zwcqvUpEjP9hDl0Bosx0D|access-date=2023-02-20|website=BBC Marathi}}{{Dead link|date=May 2023|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>. Following the [[2022 Maharashtra political crisis]], the party split.
Since the split, the party has been led by [[Eknath Shinde]], who is recognised by the [[Election Commission of India]] as the leader of the original Shiv Sena.<ref name="eci2023">{{cite news |title=Eknath Shinde's faction is the real Shiv Sena: Election Commission |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/eci-recognises-eknath-shinde-led-faction-as-real-shiv-sena/article66522607.ece |work=The Hindu |date=17 February 2023}}</ref> The Shinde-led faction retained the party's traditional name and the iconic bow and arrow symbol, and currently forms the government in Maharashtra in alliance with the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP).<ref>{{cite news |title=Shinde takes oath as Maharashtra CM, Fadnavis as deputy |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/eknath-shinde-maharashtra-cm-oath-ceremony-devendra-fadnavis-deputy-cm-1970020-2022-06-30 |work=India Today |date=30 June 2022}}</ref> The party continues to position itself as the true ideological successor to Bal Thackeray’s legacy.<ref name="eci2023" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Eknath Shinde takes oath as Maharashtra CM, Fadnavis as Deputy CM |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/eknath-shinde-sworn-in-as-maharashtra-chief-minister/articleshow/92528763.cms |work=The Times of India |date=30 June 2022 |access-date=22 April 2025}}</ref>

The party once had a powerful hold over the [[Hindi cinema|Hindi film industry]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/8073240/Author-Rohinton-Mistry-slams-Mumbai-University-after-book-ban.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/8073240/Author-Rohinton-Mistry-slams-Mumbai-University-after-book-ban.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Author Rohinton Mistry slams Mumbai University after book ban |access-date=27 August 2012 |last=Dean |first= Nelson |date=19 October 2010 |publisher= telegraph.co.uk }}{{cbignore}}</ref> It has been accused of being an "[[Extremism|extremist]]",<ref>{{cite book |author1=Ahmed, Z.S. |author2=Balasubramanian, R. |year=2010 |title=Extremism in Pakistan and India: The Case of the Jamaat-e-Islami and Shiv Sena |publisher=Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) |location=[[Colombo]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Mehta |first=Ved |title=Rajiv Gandhi and Rama's Kingdom |year=1994 |url=https://archive.org/details/rajivgandhiramas00meht|url-access=registration | publisher=[[Yale University Press]] |location=[[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]], Connecticut |page=[https://archive.org/details/rajivgandhiramas00meht/page/157 157]|isbn=9780300060386 }}</ref> "[[Chauvinism|chauvinist]]"'',''<ref>{{cite book |last=Bagchi |first=Amiya |title=Capital and Labour Redefined:India and the Third World |year=2002 |publisher=Anthem Press |location=[[London]] |page=344}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Kaminsky |first=Arnold |title=India Today: An Encyclopedia of Life in the Republic |url=https://archive.org/details/indiatodayvolume00kami|url-access=limited |year=2011 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |location=[[Santa Barbara, California|Santa Barbara]], California |page=[https://archive.org/details/indiatodayvolume00kami/page/n688 628]}}</ref> or "[[Fascism|fascist]]" party.<ref name="Chandavarkar2">{{cite book |last=Chandavarkar |first=Rajnayaran |title=History, Culture and the Indian City |url=https://archive.org/details/historyculturein00chan |url-access=limited |date=3 September 2009 |publisher=[[Cambridge University]] Press |isbn=978-0-521-76871-9 |page=[https://archive.org/details/historyculturein00chan/page/n42 29] |edition=1st}}</ref><ref name="Jeff2011">{{cite book | author=Jeff Haynes | title=Religion, Politics and International Relations | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XpO2s24WMowC&pg=PA150 | access-date=18 November 2012 | date=7 April 2011 | publisher=Taylor & Francis | isbn=978-1-136-73753-4 | page=150}}</ref> Shiv Sena has been allegedly involved in the [[1970 Bhiwandi riots|1970 communal violence]] in [[Bhiwandi]], the [[1984 Bhiwandi riot]], and violence in the [[Bombay riots|1992–1993 Bombay riots]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Human Rights Watch World Report 1999 |year=1998 |publisher=Human Rights Watch |isbn=978-1-56432-190-9 |page=[https://archive.org/details/humanrightswatch00huma_0/page/186 186] |url=https://archive.org/details/humanrightswatch00huma_0/page/186 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Brown |first=Cynthia |title=Playing the "communal Card": Communal Violence and Human Rights |year=1995 |publisher=Human Rights Watch |isbn=978-1-56432-152-7 |page=[https://archive.org/details/playingcommunalc00brow/page/27 27] |url=https://archive.org/details/playingcommunalc00brow/page/27 }}</ref>

==History==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Shivsenakolkata.jpg|thumb|A poster from Shiv Sena campaign against Valentine's Day in [[Kolkata]].]] -->

===Origins===
After the [[Independence of India]] in 1947, regional administrative divisions from the colonial era were gradually changed and states following linguistic borders were created. Within the [[Bombay Presidency]], a massive popular struggle was launched for the creation of a state for the Marathi-speaking people. In 1960, the presidency was divided into two linguistic states: [[Gujarat]] and [[Maharashtra]]. Moreover, Marathi-speaking areas of the erstwhile [[Hyderabad state]] were joined with Maharashtra. Bombay, in many ways the economic capital of India, became the state capital of Maharashtra. On one hand, people belonging to the [[Gujarati people|Gujarati]] community owned the majority of the industry and trade enterprises in the city.<ref name="Public sector, Threats against other communities, businesses owned especially by Gujarati and Marwaris/">
{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Sena-fate-From-roar-to-meow/articleshow/1311115.cms |title=Sena fate: From roar to meow |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=2006-08-11 |date=29 November 2005}}
</ref>
On the other hand, there was a steady flow of [[South India]]n migrants to the city who came to take many white-collar jobs.

In 1960, [[Bal Thackeray]], a Mumbai-based cartoonist, began publishing the satirical cartoon weekly ''[[Marmik]]''. Through this publication, he started disseminating anti-migrant sentiments. On 19 June 1966, Thackeray founded the Shiv Sena as a political organisation.

The Shiv Sena attracted many unemployed Marathi youth, who were attracted by Thackeray's charged anti-migrant oratory. Shiv Sena cadres became involved in various attacks against the South Indian communities, vandalizing South Indian restaurants and pressuring employers to hire Marathis.<ref name="Rediff article: sons of the soil, lungi slogan, shakhas, south Indians in 1970, shift to Hindutva, defeat of communists/">{{cite web |url=http://in.rediff.com/election/2004/apr/23espec3.htm |title=Know Your Party: Shiv Sena |work=Rediff.com |access-date=2006-07-22}}</ref>

Initially apolitical, the organisation was patronised by the then Chief Minister [[Vasantrao Naik]] who used it for curbing trade unions and maintain stranglehold of the Congress.<ref name="revolutionarydemocracy"/><ref name="Patel Thorner 1995"/> Because of its close association with Vasantrao, the organisation was also referred to as "Vasant Sena".<ref name="revolutionarydemocracy"/><ref name="Srivastava"/>

The Shiv Sena declared support to [[The Emergency (India)|the Emergency]] in 1975 and supported the Congress in the [[1977 Indian general election|1977 general election]].<ref name=":1"/> In [[1980 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|1980 Maharashtra Assembly election]], the party did not contest from any seat however it campaigned for the Congress.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Ananth |first=Venkat |date=2014-09-22 |title=The anatomy of an alliance: The BJP-Shiv Sena story |url=https://www.livemint.com/Politics/VbrxNc2FSZuGroknO7I97M/The-anatomy-of-an-alliance-The-BJPShiv-Sena-story.html |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=mint |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-12 |title=BJP longest, but once earlier too Congress was a Shiv Sena friend |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/bjp-longest-but-once-earlier-too-congress-was-a-shiv-sena-friend-8204394/ |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Deshpande |first=Alok |date=2019-11-06 |title=History lessons: when Sena and Congress helped each other out |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/history-lessons-when-sena-and-congress-helped-each-other-out/article29903106.ece |access-date=2024-04-12 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

===Alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party===
The Sena started placing more weight on the [[Hindutva]] ideology in the 1970s as the 'sons of the soil' cause was weakening.<ref name="Rediff article: sons of the soil, lungi slogan, shakhas, south Indians in 1970, shift to Hindutva, defeat of communists/" />

In the [[1984 Indian general election|1984 general election]], Shiv Sena formed its first alliance with the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) and Shiv Sena candidates fought on BJP's lotus symbol.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-10-15 |title=Maharashtra: How Chhagan Bhujbal held Shiv Sena's 'mashaal' & won in 1985 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/maharashtra-how-bhujbal-held-shiv-senas-mashaal-won-in-1985/articleshow/94798077.cms |access-date=2024-04-12 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

The party began a coalition with the BJP for seats in the [[Lok Sabha]] and the [[Maharashtra Assembly]] from 1989. The two formed a government in Maharashtra between 1995 and 1999.<ref name="BJP Shivsena 25 year">{{cite web |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/maharashtra-elections-bjp-ends-25yearold-alliance-with-shiv-sena-as-seat-sharing-talks-fail/501837-3-237.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140927093832/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/maharashtra-elections-bjp-ends-25yearold-alliance-with-shiv-sena-as-seat-sharing-talks-fail/501837-3-237.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-09-27 |title=Maharashtra elections: BJP ends 25-year-old alliance with Shiv Sena as seat-sharing talks fail |publisher=ibnlive.in.com |access-date=2014-10-26}}</ref> The Sena was the opposition party in the state along with the BJP from 1999 to 2014. However, the 25 year alliance with the BJP was threatened in [[2014 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2014 Maharashtra Assembly elections]] over seat sharing and both contested the election independently.<ref name="BJP Shivsena 25 year" /> With the BJP becoming the largest party following the 2014 election, Sena declared opposition. However, after negotiations, Sena agreed to join the government in Maharashtra.<ref name="join">[http://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/shiv-sena-to-join-fadnavis-govt-accepts-offer-of-12-cabinet-berths/ Shiv Sena to join Fadnavis govt; gives up claim to home minister, deputy CM post], Indian Express, 4 December 2014</ref> The Shiv Sena-BJP combine governs the [[Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation]]. Traditionally the main strongholds of Shiv Sena have been Mumbai and the [[Konkan]] coastal areas. However, in the [[2004 Indian general elections|2004 Lok Sabha elections]] the result was reversed. The Shiv Sena made inroads in the interior parts of the state, while suffering losses in Mumbai.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/maharashtra-political-crisis-what-made-eknath-shinde-turn-against-shiv-sena/articleshow/92372903.cms |title=Maharashtra MVA crisis: What made Eknath Shinde turn against ..|website=[[The Times of India]] |date=22 June 2022 }}</ref>

===Formation of Maharashtra Navanirman Sena===
In July 2005, Former [[List of chief ministers of Maharashtra|Maharashtra Chief Minister]] and Sena leader [[Narayan Rane]] was expelled from the party, which sparked internal conflict in the party. In December the same year [[Raj Thackeray]], Bal Thackeray's nephew, left the party.<ref>
{{cite news |title=Senior Shiv Sena leader quits |publisher=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4539588.stm |date=18 December 2005 |access-date=2014-10-25}}
</ref> Raj Thackeray later founded a separate party, [[Maharashtra Navnirman Sena]] (MNS). {{citation needed|date=October 2014}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Raj Thackeray launches new party |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/raj-thackeray-launches-new-party/story-kN1F9MTirNyUSKrf7vgd3J.html |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=India Today |date=9 March 2006 |language=en}}</ref>

Although the MNS is a break-away group from the Shiv Sena, the party is still based in Bhumiputra ideology. When unveiling the party in an assembly at Shivaji Park he said, everyone is anxious to see what will happen to Hindutva and, "I shall elaborate on the party's stance on issues like Hindutva, its agenda for development of Maharashtra and the significance of the party flag colours at the 19 March public meeting."<ref>
{{cite news |url=http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=64115 |title=Raj Thackeray launches new party |agency=Press Trust of India |date= 9 March 2006 |access-date=2014-10-25}}
</ref>

===Leadership change ===
[[File:Bal Thackeray and Madhuri Dixit at 70th Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Awards (4).jpg|left|thumb|Bal Thackeray, at a gathering]]Bal Thackeray's son Uddhav Thackeray became the party's leader in 2004, although Bal Thackeray continued to be an important figurehead. After the death of Bal Thackeray on 17 November 2012, Uddhav became the leader of the party but refused to take the title "''Shiv Sena Pramukh''" (Eng : Shiv Sena Supremo).<ref>
{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Uddhav-takes-fathers-powers-but-not-Shiv-Sena-pramukh-title/articleshow/17452126.cms |title=Uddhav takes father's powers, but not Shiv Sena 'pramukh' title |newspaper=Times of India |date=2 December 2012}}
</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-17 |title=Why Uddhav lost to Shinde in fight over 'bow and arrow': 5 points from EC order |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/why-uddhav-lost-to-shinde-in-fight-over-bow-and-arrow-5-points-from-ec-order-101676643469175.html |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>

=== Ideology shifts ===
The Shiv Sena party's ideology has undergone changes since its formation. Initially, it started with the ideology of Marathi [[Regionalism (politics)|regionalism]] under the leadership of [[Bal Thackeray]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Purandare |first=Vaibhav |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JS1hBAAAQBAJ |title=Bal Thackeray & The Rise of the Shiv Sena |date=2013-02-27 |publisher=Roli Books Private Limited |isbn=978-81-7436-991-8 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Joshi, R. 1970"/> However, the party shifted towards [[ultranationalism]] and [[right-wing populism]] over time, which helped them form an alliance with the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)]].<ref>{{Citation |last=Banerjee |first=Sikata |title=Mobilization of the Shiv Sena |date=2021-10-22 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780429268564-5 |work=Warriors in Politics |pages=111–130 |place=New York |publisher=Routledge |doi=10.4324/9780429268564-5 |isbn=9780429268564 |s2cid=239541679 |access-date=2023-02-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Chhibber |first1=Pradeep K. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nJRqDwAAQBAJ&q=BJP+Shiv+Sena+alliance |title=Ideology and Identity: The Changing Party Systems of India |last2=Verma |first2=Rahul |date=2018-08-24 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-062390-6 |language=en}}</ref> {{Verify source|date=February 2023}} When [[Uddhav Thackeray]] became the party leader, he gradually shifted towards composite nationalism and formed an alliance with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.news18.com/amp/news/opinion/how-shiv-sena-deviated-from-bal-thackerays-hardcore-hindutva-agenda-and-paid-a-heavy-price-5488813.html%26ved%3D2ahUKEwjwqvfNrqb9AhVE3jgGHYFPDbQQFnoECA8QAQ%26usg%3DAOvVaw0Oz3PuXCy1Ke2pc0WCVooM |title=Archived copy |access-date=25 June 2023 |archive-date=21 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230221104807/https://www.news18.com/amp/news/opinion/how-shiv-sena-deviated-from-bal-thackerays-hardcore-hindutva-agenda-and-paid-a-heavy-price-5488813.html%26ved%3D2ahUKEwjwqvfNrqb9AhVE3jgGHYFPDbQQFnoECA8QAQ%26usg%3DAOvVaw0Oz3PuXCy1Ke2pc0WCVooM |url-status=dead }}</ref> This shift in ideology was a significant departure from Shiv Sena's traditional stance, as the party had been historically opposed to the [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] and [[Nationalist Congress Party|NCP]] for the majority of its existence.

=== 2022 political crisis and split in the party ===
{{main|2022 Maharashtra political crisis}}
[[File:Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis with PM Narendra Modi.jpg|thumb|[[Eknath Shinde]] with NDA partners]]
In June 2022, senior Shiv Sena leader [[Eknath Shinde]] led a group of MLAs who withdrew support from the then Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition government, aligning with the BJP. This shift changed the political landscape of Maharashtra by reducing the ruling alliance to a minority.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Karthikeyan |first=Suchitra |date=2022-06-22 |title=Maharashtra Political Crisis: MVA slides into minority; here's how the numbers stand |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/maharashtra-political-crisis-mva-slides-into-minority-heres-how-the-numbers-stand/article65548913.ece |access-date=2023-04-04 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-23 |title=What's next in the Maharashtra political crisis? Decoding the future of the MVA alliance |url=https://www.firstpost.com/politics/whats-next-in-the-maharashtra-political-crisis-decoding-the-future-of-the-mva-alliance-10826921.html |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=Firstpost |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-06-22 |title=Maharashtra: The political crisis brewing in India's richest state |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-61891133 |access-date=2023-04-04}}</ref>

Following this development, Governor [[Bhagat Singh Koshyari]] called for a trust vote. [[Uddhav Thackeray]] resigned as Chief Minister and as a Member of the Legislative Council on 29 June 2022, ahead of the scheduled no-confidence motion.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-29 |title=Not keen on games, but not going away forever: Uddhav Thackeray's parting note as Maha CM |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/uddhav-thackeray-maharashtra-cm-floor-test-101656518180649.html |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>

On 30 June 2022, Shinde formed a new coalition government with the BJP and was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-27 |title=Maharashtra political crisis Highlights {{!}} First Shinde cabinet decision: Metro-3 car shed to be built inside Aarey forest |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/maharashtra-political-crisis-news-live-updates-shiv-sena-eknath-shinde-supreme-court-uddhav-thackeray-7993148/ |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

A legal challenge followed, with Uddhav Thackeray seeking disqualification of Shinde's group under the anti-defection law, while Shinde asserted his faction as the true representative of Shiv Sena.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2023-03-16 |title=Shiv Sena Case : Supreme Court Constitution Bench Reserves Judgment |url=https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/shiv-sena-case-supreme-court-constitution-bench-reserves-judgment-uddhav-thackeray-eknath-shinde-maharashtra-223929 |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=www.livelaw.in |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Rajagopal |first=Krishnadas |date=2023-03-16 |title=Supreme Court reserves judgment on Maharashtra political row |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/absolutely-no-freedom-in-regional-parties-many-run-by-single-family-sc-on-maharashtra-row/article66628047.ece |access-date=2023-04-04 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

The Election Commission of India recognized the Shinde faction as the official Shiv Sena, granting it the party name and the traditional 'Bow and Arrow' symbol. The Uddhav Thackeray faction was allocated the name [[Shiv Sena (UBT)]] with a separate election symbol.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Uddhav Thackeray Loses Name, Symbol Of Shiv Sena Founded By Father |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/eknath-shinde-faction-gets-shiv-senas-bow-and-arrow-poll-symbol-3791900 |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Roy |first=Debayan |title=Supreme Court declines to stay EC order recognising Eknath Shinde faction as Shiv Sena; allows Thackeray to use 'flaming torch' for bye-polls |url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/supreme-court-declines-stay-ec-order-recognsining-eknath-shinde-faction-shiv-sena-allows-thackeray-use-flaming-torch-bye-polls |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news |date=22 February 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":23">{{Cite news |date=2023-02-17 |title=Eknath Shinde faction gets Shiv Sena name, symbol |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/eknath-shinde-faction-recognised-as-real-shiv-sena-allotted-bow-and-arrow-symbol/article66521586.ece |access-date=2023-02-20 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== Party structure and caste composition ==
===Structure===
The Shiv Sena (SS) was led by a president, traditionally referred to as the "''Shiv Sena Pramukh''", ({{Translation|Chief}}) which translates to "Shiv Sena Chief" in English.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2003-03-27 |title=The Official Structure of the Shiv Sena |url=https://academic.oup.com/book/25874/chapter/193560980 |language=en |doi=10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195660449.005.0002|doi-broken-date=1 November 2024 }}</ref> Bal Thackeray served as the first Shiv Sena ''Pramukh'' and took all major decisions while the activists and members of the Shiv Sena, known as Shiv ''Sainiks'', ({{Translation|Soldiers}}) carried out most of the party's grassroots work. During his last days, the day-to-day activities of the party were handled by his youngest son Uddhav Thackeray, who succeeded him as party leader after his death in 2012.

Shiv Sena formed a network of grassroots organizations, known as "''Shiv Sena Shakhas''" ({{Translation|Branch}}). The ''Shakhas'' serve as the primary unit of the party, with each ''Shakha'' consisting of 25-50 members. The ''Shakhas'' were responsible for carrying out the party's activities at the grassroots level, such as mobilizing voters during elections, organizing protests and rallies, and engaging in community service activities.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Purandare |first=Vaibhav |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JS1hBAAAQBAJ&q=Shiv+sena+Shakha |title=Bal Thackeray & The Rise of the Shiv Sena |date=2013-02-27 |publisher=Roli Books Private Limited |isbn=978-81-7436-991-8 |language=en}}</ref>

In addition to the ''Shakhas'', the party has various other organizational structures, including the ''Yuva Sena'', ({{Translation|Youth Army}}) party's youth wing, and the ''Mahila Aghadi'', the party's women's wing. The Shiv Sena is also affiliated with the [[Sthaniya Lokadhikar Samiti]],<ref name="Business India">{{cite book |title=Business India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f69IAAAAYAAJ |access-date=24 February 2012 |year=1996 |publisher=A.H. Advani}}</ref> which advocates for the preservation of employment rights for [[Maharashtrians]] in Maharashtra.

Since the rebellion in 2022, the Shiv Sena under the leadership of Eknath Shinde has seen a significant restructuring, shifting away from the dynastic hold of the Thackeray family. Shinde's faction has aimed to revive the party's original ideology and strengthen its grassroots presence by reactivating and expanding the ''Shakhas'' across Maharashtra.<ref>{{cite news|title=Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena redefines its organisational structure|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/eknath-shinde-revamps-shiv-sena-structure/article65672800.ece|date=2023-05-10|access-date=2025-05-19}}</ref> Shinde's leadership has emphasized inclusivity and outreach to various caste groups, consolidating the party's position as a broad-based regional force beyond the Thackeray family's legacy.<ref>{{cite web|title=Shinde’s Shiv Sena emerges stronger post-rebellion|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/shinde-shiv-sena-emerges-stronger-post-rebellion-4412345|date=2024-01-15|access-date=2025-05-19}}</ref> The faction also claims greater democratic decision-making within the party, with more leaders from diverse backgrounds taking up key roles.<ref>{{cite news|title=Shinde government focuses on decentralizing Shiv Sena leadership|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/shinde-govt-focuses-on-decentralising-shiv-sena-leadership/articleshow/102594832.cms|date=2024-03-22|access-date=2025-05-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web  |title=The Wayback Machine has not archived that URL.  |website=[[The Times of India]]  |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/sena-tussle-holds-key-lesson-for-dynasts-build-anew-or-implode/articleshow/92773414.cms  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710015430/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/sena-tussle-holds-key-lesson-for-dynasts-build-anew-or-implode/articleshow/92773414.cms  |url-status=dead  |archive-date=10 July 2022  |access-date=2023-06-24  }}</ref>

===Caste composition===
People of various Maharashtrian castes worked together in the Sena. The party's leaders mostly came from the so-called "high castes" that is [[Brahmins]], [[Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu]] and [[Pathare Prabhus]] - Thackerey, [[Manohar Joshi]], [[Sudhir Joshi (politician)|Sudhir Joshi]], Balwant Mantri, Hemchandra Gupte, Shyam Deshmukh, Madhav Deshpande, Datta Pradhan, Vijay Parvatkar, [[Madhukar Sarpotdar]] and [[Pramod Navalkar]].<ref name="purandare13"/>
One of the above-mentioned leaders, Hemchandra Gupte, who was [[Mayor (India)|Mayor]] of Bombay in the early 70s and was the former family physician and confidant of Thackeray, quit Shivsena citing flaws such as importance given to money, violence committed by the ''Shivsainiks'' ({{Translation|Soldiers}}) and Bal Thackeray's support to then prime minister [[Indira Gandhi]] during the [[The Emergency (India)|1975 emergency]].<ref>{{cite book | title=Wages of Violence : Naming and identity in postcolonial Bombay|author= Thomas Blom Hansen|publisher=Princeton University Press|year=2001|page=238|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-y3iNt0djbQC&pg=PA238|quote=18: According to Hemchandra Gupte, a former confidante of Thackeray, his major reason for leaving the party for his growing disgust with the prominence of money and the "goonda'ization" of the party(interview, 5th October 1992). 21.Interview, 3 October 1992, with Hemchandra Gupte, physician, formerly Bal Thackeray's family doctor, and Shiv Sena's mayor of Bombay from 1971 to 1972. Dr. Gupte left Shiv Sena in 1976 because of Thackerey's support for Mrs.Gandhi and the emergency.|isbn= 0691088403}}</ref>

There were also leaders from other castes such as [[Dattaji Salvi]], [[Dattaji Nalawade]] and [[Wamanrao Mahadik]], and those from the so-called lower castes such as [[Chaggan Bhujbal]], [[Leeladhar Dake]], Bhai Shingre and Vijay Gaonkar.<ref name="purandare13"/>{{Year needed|date=February 2023}}

Over the years, other than the Bal Thackeray, there have been twelve senior leaders in the party, out of these, eight have been from
upper caste (four were [[Brahmin]]s, two [[Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu]] and two [[Pathare Prabhu]]s). Others have been either [[Maratha (caste)|Maratha]] ([[Dattaji Salvi]]), [[Meru Kshatriya Shimpi|Shimpi]] ([[Wamanrao Mahadik]]), [[Agri (caste)|Agri]] ([[Leeladhar Dake]]) or [[Mali caste|Mali]] ([[Chaggan Bhujbal]]). In fact, Bhujbal quit the party accusing the party is biased towards upper caste people.<ref name="purandare13"/>

The number of [[Dalit]]s were also not insignificant and even after the Sena opposed the reservations proposed by the [[Mandal Commission|Mandal commission]], there was no dent in the percentage of [[Other Backward Class]] in the party. In this way, the Sena was successful in uniting all Maharashtrians irrespective of caste under the common "Marathi umbrella". The agenda of preferential treatment for the "sons of the soil" that is Maharashtrians brought them all together.<ref name="purandare13">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JS1hBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT106|title=Bal Thackeray and the rise of Shiv Sena|author= Vaibhav Purandare|year=2012|publisher=Roli Books|page=106|quote=Its (Sena's) thrust on the economic upliftment of Maharashtrians and demand for preferential treatment of the sons of soil in employment drew the working class towards it. They wanted someone to focus on the issue that mattered to them most:Jobs. Besides, people of various castes worked together in the Sena. Though, from among the party's leaders, Thackerey, Manohar Joshi, Sudhir Joshi, Balwant Mantri, Dr Hemchandra Gupte, Shyam Deshmukh, Madhav Deshpande, Datta Pradhan, Vijay Parvatkar, Madhukar Sarpotdar and Pramod Navalkar came from the so called high castes (they were either Brahmins, Pathare Prabhus or Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhus) and middle class localities like Dadar and Girgaum, rubbing shoulders with them were leaders from the working class areas of Lalbaug-Parel such as Dattaji Salvi, Dattaji Nalavade and Wamanrao Mahadik, and those from the so called lower castes such as Chaggan Bhujbal, Leeladhar Dake, Bhai Shingre and Vijay Gaonkar.... In fact, 70 per cent of Sainiks have belonged to the OBC category, and even after the party opposed the Mandal Commission recommendations, the percentage of OBCs in the Sena did not go down. |isbn=9788174369918}}</ref>

===Voter base===
Shiv Sena's strength in the late 1980s and early '90s mainly came from the support of the [[Maratha (caste)|Maratha]] caste - which it drew away from the Congress.<ref name="auto">{{cite book|title=Caste, Class, and Capital: The Social and Political Origins of Economic Policy in India |author=Kanta Murali|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2017|pages=236–237|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RFLTDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA236|quote=Shiv Sena's strength primarily came from Maratha support, which it drew away from the Congress|isbn=978-1-107-15450-6}}</ref> Citing the large percentage of MLAs elected from Shiv Sena belonging to the [[Maratha (caste)|Maratha]] caste, Vora from the [[University of Pune]] concludes that the Shiv Sena has been emerging as a "Maratha Party".<ref>{{cite book|quote=The Shiv Sena is emerging as another Maratha party if we go by the number of Marathas elected on its ticket in the last four elections to the Vidhan Sabha. |pages=240, 241|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=78rfCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA240|editor1=Christophe Jaffrelot|editor2=Sanjay Kumar|author=Rajendra Vora|title=Rise of the Plebeians?: The Changing Face of the Indian Legislative Assemblies|isbn=9781136516627|date=4 May 2012|publisher=Routledge }}</ref>

== Headquarters ==
Shivsena ''Bhavan'' ({{Translation|House}}), was the central office of the Shiv Sena, located in ''Ram Ganesh Gadkari Chowk'' and [[Shivaji Park]] in [[Dadar]], [[Mumbai]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-03|title=Explained: A history of Shiv Sena Bhavan, and the recent Sena-BJP clash over the building|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/shiv-sena-bhavan-history-thackeray-7435045/|access-date=2021-08-28|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> It was first inaugurated on 19 June 1977, and refurbished and re-inaugurated on 27 July 2006. It has a [[Copper|Copper Statue]] of [[Shivaji|Shivaji Maharaj]] and a large [[Poster]] of [[Bal Thackeray]]. In the [[1993 Bombay bombings]], terrorists planted a powerful bomb in Shivsena ''Bhavan;'' it exploded and the building received damage.<ref name="1993 blasts">{{cite news |title=The 1993 blasts: A recap of the day that shook India |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/north/story/1993-blasts-timeline-and-locations-156749-2013-03-22 |access-date=24 January 2022 |work=India Today |agency=IANS |date=22 March 2013 |language=en}}</ref>

''Matoshri'', the house of Bal Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray was an important building in this party. Many high-profile meetings usually held in it. It worked as a command and control centre of the party in Bal–Uddhava's regime.

=== Current headquarters ===
The present Shiv Sena headquarters is established at the historic Shivsena Bhavan in Dadar, Mumbai.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Eknath Shinde faction gets Shiv Sena's bow and arrow poll symbol|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/eknath-shinde-faction-gets-shiv-senas-bow-and-arrow-poll-symbol-3791900|access-date=2023-02-22|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> This office continues to symbolize the party’s legacy and political influence in Maharashtra. Under the leadership of Eknath Shinde, Shivsena Bhavan serves as the central hub for party administration and strategic planning.

==List of chief ministers==
{{See also|List of chief ministers of Maharashtra}}
Following is the list of the chief ministers of [[Maharashtra]] from Shiv Sena.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! rowspan ="2" style="background-color:#FF6634; color:black" | No.
! rowspan ="2" style="background-color:#FF6634; color:black" | Portrait
! rowspan ="2" style="background-color:#FF6634; color:black" | Name<br />{{small|(Birth–Death)}}
! colspan ="3" style="background-color:#FF6634; color:black" | Tenure
! rowspan ="2" style="background-color:#FF6634; color:black" |Constituency 
! rowspan ="2" style="background-color:#FF6634; color:black" | [[Maharashtra Legislative Assembly|{{black|Assembly}}]]
|-
! style="background-color:#FF6634; color:black" | Assumed office
! style="background-color:#FF6634; color:black" | Left office
! style="background-color:#FF6634; color:black" | Time in office
|-style="vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;"
| 1
| [[File:Manohar Joshi cropped.jpg|80px]]
| '''[[Manohar Joshi]]'''<br/>{{small|(1937–2024)}}
| {{dts|14 March 1995}}
| {{dts|1 February 1999}}
| {{age in years and days|1995|3|14|1999|2|1}}
| [[Dadar (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Dadar]]
| rowspan=2|9th<br/>{{small|([[1995 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|1995]])}}
|-style="vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;"
| 2
| [[File:Narayan Rane.jpg|80px]]
| '''[[Narayan Rane]]'''<br/>{{small|(born 1952)}}
| {{dts|1 February 1999}}
| {{dts|18 October 1999}}
| {{age in years and days|1999|2|1|1999|10|18}}
| [[Kudal (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Malvan]]
|- style="vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;"
| 3
| [[File:The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Uddhav Thackeray calling on the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on February 21, 2020 (Uddhav Thackeray) (cropped).jpg|80px]]
| '''[[Uddhav Thackeray]]'''<br/>{{small|(born 1960)}}
| {{dts|28 November 2019}}
| {{dts|30 June 2022}}
| {{Age in years and days|2019|11|28|2022|6|30}}
| [[Maharashtra Legislative Council|MLC]]
| rowspan=2|14th<br/>{{small|([[2019 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2019]])}}
|- 
|4
|[[File:Eknath Shinde with PM Narendra Modi Cropped.jpg|center|75px]]
|[[Eknath Shinde]]
|30 June 2022<ref>{{cite web|title=Maharashtra Political Crisis Live Updates: Eknath Shinde to be new Maharashtra CM, Fadnavis to stay out of govt|url=https://zeenews.india.com/india/live-updates/maharashtra-political-crisis-breaking-news-updates-devendra-fadnavis-uddhav-thackeray-eknath-shinde-governor-bhagat-singh-koshyari-floor-test-sanjay-raut-shiv-sena-bjp-2479640 | publisher=[[The Indian Express]] |date= 30 June 2022 |access-date=30 June 2022}}</ref>
|5 December 2024
|{{Ayd|2022|06|30|2024|12|05}}
|[[Kopri-Pachpakhadi Assembly constituency|Kopri-Pachpakhadi]]
|}

== List of Ministers in Union Government ==

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Style="background-color:{{party color|Shiv Sena}};color:white" |No.
! Style="background-color:{{party color|Shiv Sena}};color:white" | Name
! colspan="2"  Style="background-color:{{party color|Shiv Sena}};color:white" | Term in office
! Style="background-color:{{party color|Shiv Sena}};color:white" | Portfolio
! colspan="2"  Style="background-color:{{party color|Shiv Sena}};color:white" | Prime Minister
|- align=center
|1
|[[Manohar Joshi]]
|19 October 1999
|9 May 2002
| [[Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises (India)|Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises]], [[13th Lok Sabha|13th]] [[Speaker of the Lok Sabha]]
|rowspan=4|[[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]
|rowspan=7 {{party color cell|Bharatiya Janata Party}}
|-
|2
|[[Anandrao Vithoba Adsul]]
|August 2002
|May 2004
|Ministry of State, Finance and Company Affairs
|-
|3
|[[Suresh Prabhu]]
|13 October 1999
|25 August 2002
|[[Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers]], [[Ministry of Power (India)|Ministry of Power]], [[Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises]]
|-
|rowspan="2"|4
|rowspan="2"|[[Anant Geete]]
|26 August 2002
|22 May 2004
|[[Ministry of Power (India)|Minister of Power]]
|-
|16 May 2014
|30 May 2019
|[[Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises (India)|Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises]]
|rowspan=3|[[Narendra Modi]]
|-
|5
|[[Arvind Sawant]] 
|30 May 2019
|11 November 2019
|[[Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises]]    
|-
|rowspan="2"|1
|rowspan="2"|[[Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav]]
|rowspan="2"|10 June<br>2024
|rowspan="2"|''Incumbent''
|[[Ministry of Health and Family Welfare|Minister of Health & Family Welfare]]'''<br />'''({{abbr|MoS|Minister of State}})
|}

==Electoral performance==
=== Lok Sabha elections ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! style="background:#FF6634; color:black;"| Year
! style="background:#FF6634; color:black;"| Seats won
! style="background:#FF6634; color:black;"| Change in seats
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[1989 Indian general election|1989]]
|{{Composition bar|1|48|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{increase}} 1
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[1991 Indian general election|1991]]
|{{Composition bar|4|48|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{increase}} 3
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[1996 Indian general election|1996]]
|{{Composition bar|15|48|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{increase}} 11
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[1998 Indian general election|1998]]
|{{Composition bar|6|48|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{decrease}} 9
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[1999 Indian general election|1999]]
|{{Composition bar|15|48|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{increase}} 9
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[2004 Indian general election|2004]]
|{{Composition bar|12|48|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{decrease}} 3
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[2009 Indian general election|2009]]
|{{Composition bar|11|48|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{decrease}} 1
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[2014 Indian general election|2014]]
|{{Composition bar|18|48|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{increase}} 7
|-style="text-align:center;"
|[[2019 Indian general election|2019]]
|{{Composition bar|18|48|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{steady}}
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[2024 Indian general election|2024]]
|{{Composition bar|7|48|{{party color|Shiv Sena (2022–present)}}}}
|{{decrease}}11
|}

=== Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! style="background:#FF6634; color:black;"| Year
! style="background:#FF6634; color:black;"| Party leader
! style="background:#FF6634; color:black;"| Seats won
! style="background:#FF6634; color:black;"| +/-
! style="background:#FF6634; color:black;"| Voteshare (%)
! style="background:#FF6634; color:black;"| +/- (%)
! style="background:#FF6634; color:black;"| Popular vote
! style="background:#FF6634; color:black;"| Outcome
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[1990 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|1990]]
|rowspan=5 |[[Bal Thackeray]]
|{{Composition bar|52|288|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{increase}} 52
|15.94%
|{{increase}} 15.94%
|4,733,834
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[1995 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|1995]]
|{{Composition bar|73|288|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{increase}} 21
|16.39%
|{{increase}} 0.45%
|6,315,493
|{{yes2|Government}}
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[1999 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|1999]]
|{{Composition bar|69|288|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{decrease}} 4
|17.33%
|{{increase}} 0.94%
|5,692,812
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[2004 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2004]]
|{{Composition bar|62|288|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{decrease}} 7
|19.97%
|{{Increase}} 2.64% 
|8,351,654
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[2009 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2009]]
|{{Composition bar|44|288|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{decrease}} 18
|16.26%
|{{decrease}} 3.71%
|7,369,030
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[2014 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2014]]
|rowspan=2 |[[Uddhav Thackeray]]
|{{Composition bar|63|288|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{increase}} 19
|19.35%
|{{increase}} 3.09%
|10,235,970
|{{yes2|Government}}
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[2019 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2019]]
|{{Composition bar|56|288|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{decrease}} 7
|16.41%
|{{decrease}} 3.04%
|9,049,789
|{{yes2|Government}}
|- style="text-align:center;"
|[[2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2024]]
|[[Eknath Shinde]]
|{{Composition bar|57|288|{{party color|Shiv Sena}}}}
|{{decrease}} 1
|12.38%
|{{decrease}} 4.03%
|7,996,930
|{{yes2|Government}}
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Election
! Candidates
! Elected
! Votes
! Source
|-
| align="left" |[[1971 Indian general election|1971 Lok Sabha]]
| style="text-align:right;" |5
| style="text-align:right;" |
| style="text-align:right;" |227,468
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref>[http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1971/Vol_I_LS_71.pdf accessed 29 June 2008 ]{{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |[[1980 Indian general election|1980 Lok Sabha]]
| style="text-align:right;" |2
| style="text-align:right;" |
| style="text-align:right;" |129,351
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref>[http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1980/Vol_I_LS_80.pdf TitlePage-VolI_LS99.PDF<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911065054/http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1980/Vol_I_LS_80.pdf |date=11 September 2008 }}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |[[1989 Indian general election|1989 Lok Sabha]]
| style="text-align:right;" |3
| style="text-align:right;" |1
| style="text-align:right;" |339,426
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":2">[http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1989/Vol_I_LS_89.pdf TitlePage-VolI_LS99.PDF<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911065014/http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1989/Vol_I_LS_89.pdf |date=11 September 2008 }}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |1989 [[Goa]] Assembly
| style="text-align:right;" |6
| style="text-align:right;" |&nbsp;
| style="text-align:right;" |4,960
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":9">[http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1989/Statistical_Report_Goa_1989.pdf List Of Political Parties<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911065331/http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1989/Statistical_Report_Goa_1989.pdf |date=11 September 2008 }}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |1991 [[Uttar Pradesh]] Assembly
| style="text-align:right;" |14
| style="text-align:right;" |1
| style="text-align:right;" |45,426
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":13">{{Cite web |url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1991/Stat_Rep_UP_91.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=28 October 2014 |archive-date=6 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006055723/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1991/Stat_Rep_UP_91.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |[[1991 Indian general election|1991 Lok Sabha]]
| style="text-align:right;" |22
| style="text-align:right;" |4
| style="text-align:right;" |2,208,712
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":3">[http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1991/Vol_I_LS_91.pdf accessed 29 June 2008 ]{{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |1993 [[Madhya Pradesh]] Assembly
| style="text-align:right;" |88
| style="text-align:right;" |
| style="text-align:right;" |75,783
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":14">[http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1993/Stat_rep_93_MP.pdf rptDetailedResults<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911071414/http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1993/Stat_rep_93_MP.pdf |date=11 September 2008 }}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |[[1996 Indian general election|1996 Lok Sabha]]
| style="text-align:right;" |132
| style="text-align:right;" |15
| style="text-align:right;" |4,989,994
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref>[http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1996/Vol_I_LS_96.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304140933/http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1996/Vol_I_LS_96.pdf|date=4 March 2009}}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |1996 [[Haryana]] Assembly
| style="text-align:right;" |17
| style="text-align:right;" |
| style="text-align:right;" |6,700
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":15">[http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1996/StatisticalReport_HR96.pdf TitlePage_HR-96.PDF<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911065008/http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1996/StatisticalReport_HR96.pdf |date=11 September 2008 }}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |1997 [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]] Assembly
| style="text-align:right;" |3
| style="text-align:right;" |
| style="text-align:right;" |719
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":16">[http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1997/StatiscialReport_PU97.pdf TitlePage_PU-96.PDF<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911071401/http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1997/StatiscialReport_PU97.pdf |date=11 September 2008 }}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |[[1998 Indian general election|1998 Lok Sabha]]
| style="text-align:right;" |79
| style="text-align:right;" |6
| style="text-align:right;" |6,528,566
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":5">[http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1998/Vol_I_LS_98.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304115353/http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1998/Vol_I_LS_98.pdf|date=4 March 2009}}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |1998 [[Delhi]] Assembly
| style="text-align:right;" |32
| style="text-align:right;" |
| style="text-align:right;" |9,395
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":17">[http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1998/StatisticalReport_DEL98.pdf rptProgrammeOFElections<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911071352/http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1998/StatisticalReport_DEL98.pdf |date=11 September 2008 }}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |1998 [[Himachal Pradesh]] Assembly
| style="text-align:right;" |6
| style="text-align:right;" |
| style="text-align:right;" |2,827
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":18">[http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1998/StatisticalReport_HP98.pdf rptProgrammeOFElections<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911071441/http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1998/StatisticalReport_HP98.pdf |date=11 September 2008 }}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |[[1999 Indian general election|1999 Lok Sabha]]
| style="text-align:right;" |63
| style="text-align:right;" |15
| style="text-align:right;" |5,672,412
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":6">[http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1999/Vol_I_LS_99.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304123521/http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1999/Vol_I_LS_99.pdf|date=4 March 2009}}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |1999 [[Goa]] Assembly
| style="text-align:right;" |14
| style="text-align:right;" |&nbsp;
| style="text-align:right;" |5,987
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":10">[http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1999/StatisticalReportof_Goa_99.pdf TitlePageGA99.PDF<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911065334/http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1999/StatisticalReportof_Goa_99.pdf |date=11 September 2008 }}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |2000 [[Odisha]] Assembly
| style="text-align:right;" |16
| style="text-align:right;" |&nbsp;
| style="text-align:right;" |18,794
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":19">{{cite web|url=http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_2000/STAT_REPORT_OR_LA_2000.pdf|title=Key Highlights of General Election, 2000 to The Legislative Assembly of Orissa|website=Election Commission of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911071419/http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_2000/STAT_REPORT_OR_LA_2000.pdf|archive-date=11 September 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |2001 [[Kerala]] Assembly
| style="text-align:right;" |1
| style="text-align:right;" |&nbsp;
| style="text-align:right;" |279
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":20">{{cite web |url=http://archive.eci.gov.in/SE2001/pollupd/ac/candlwc/s11/s11shsacnst.htm |title=List of Contestants of Shivsena(SHS) in KERALA|website=Election Commission of India|access-date=2008-06-29 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210131949/http://archive.eci.gov.in/SE2001/pollupd/ac/candlwc/s11/s11shsacnst.htm |archive-date=10 February 2009 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |2002 [[Goa]] Assembly
| style="text-align:right;" |15
| style="text-align:right;" |&nbsp;
| style="text-align:right;" |
| style="text-align:right;" |
|-
| align="left" |[[2004 Indian general election|2004 Lok Sabha]]
| style="text-align:right;" |56
| style="text-align:right;" |12
| style="text-align:right;" |7,056,255
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name="eci.gov.in">[http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/LS_2004/Vol_I_LS_2004.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304134828/http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/LS_2004/Vol_I_LS_2004.pdf|date=4 March 2009}}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |[[2009 Indian general election|2009 Lok Sabha]]
| style="text-align:right;" |22
| style="text-align:right;" |11
| style="text-align:right;" |6,828,382
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":7">[http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/LS_2009/Vol_I_LS_2009.pdf]{{Dead link|date=August 2010}}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |[[2014 Indian general election|2014 Lok Sabha]]
| style="text-align:right;" |20
| style="text-align:right;" |18
| style="text-align:right;" |10,262,981
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name="eci.gov.in" />
|-
| align="left" |[[1990 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|1990 Maharashtra Assembly]]
| style="text-align:right;" |183
| style="text-align:right;" |52
| style="text-align:right;" |47,33,834(16.39%)
| style="text-align:right;" |
|-
| align="left" |[[1995 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|1995 Maharashtra Assembly]]
| style="text-align:right;" |169
| style="text-align:right;" |73
| style="text-align:right;" |6315493(16.39%)
| style="text-align:right;" |
|-
| align="left" |[[1999 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|1999 Maharashtra Assembly]]
| style="text-align:right;" |169
| style="text-align:right;" |69
| style="text-align:right;" |(17.33%)
| style="text-align:right;" |
|-
| align="left" |[[2004 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2004 Maharashtra Assembly]]
| style="text-align:right;" |163
| style="text-align:right;" |62
| style="text-align:right;" |8351654 (19,97%)
| style="text-align:right;" |
|-
| align="left" |[[2009 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2009 Maharashtra Assembly]]
| style="text-align:right;" |160
| style="text-align:right;" |45
| style="text-align:right;" |
| style="text-align:right;" |
|-
| align="left" |[[2014 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2014 Maharashtra Assembly]]
| style="text-align:right;" |286
| style="text-align:right;" |63
| style="text-align:right;" |10,235,972
| style="text-align:right;" |
|-
| align="left" |[[2015 Bihar Legislative Assembly election|2015 Bihar Assembly]]
| style="text-align:right;" |80
| style="text-align:right;" |0
| style="text-align:right;" |2,11,131
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":21">{{cite web|url=http://eciresults.nic.in/|title=Partywise Result|website=eciresults.nic.in|access-date=9 November 2015|archive-date=18 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218160549/http://eciresults.nic.in/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":22">{{cite web|url=http://www.mid-day.com/articles/after-bihar-win-shiv-sena-eyes-uttar-pradesh/16668187 |title=After Bihar 'win', Shiv Sena eyes Uttar Pradesh - News |date=10 November 2015 |publisher=Mid-Day |access-date=2015-12-02}}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |[[2017 Goa Legislative Assembly election|2017 Goa Assembly]]
| style="text-align:right;" |3
| style="text-align:right;" |0
| style="text-align:right;" |792
| style="text-align:right;" |<ref name=":11">{{cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/politics/goa-assembly-election-2017-mgp-shiv-sena-gsm-form-grand-alliance-to-contest-polls-3197056.html|title=Goa Assembly Election 2017: MGP-Shiv Sena-GSM form grand alliance to contest polls - Firstpost|website=www.firstpost.com|date=10 January 2017 }}</ref><ref name=":12">{{cite web|title=Election Commission of India- State Election, 2017 to the Legislative Assembly Of Goa|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/archiveofge2017/Goa/05.Performance%20of%20Political%20Parties.pdf|access-date=5 February 2018}}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |[[2019 Indian general election|2019 Lok Sabha]]
| style="text-align:right;" |23
| style="text-align:right;" |18
| style="text-align:right;" |12,589,064
| style="text-align:right;" |
|-
|[[2019 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2019 Maharashtra Assembly]]
|124
|56
|9,049,789 (16.41)
|<ref name=":8">{{Cite magazine|author=Kamlesh Damodar Sutar |date=5 October 2019 |title=Maharashtra polls: Final BJP-Shiv Sena seat sharing numbers out|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/maharashtra-assembly-election/story/bjp-shiv-sena-seat-sharing-numbers-maharashtra-assembly-election-2019-1606336-2019-10-04|access-date=2020-09-16|magazine=India Today|language=en}}</ref>
|-
| align="left" |[[2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2024 Maharashtra Assembly]]
|152
|57
|7,996,930 (12.38%)
|<ref name="2024SSShinde">{{Cite web |title=Maharashtra Election 2024 Results: Party-wise Seats and Votes |url=https://www.eci.gov.in |website=Election Commission of India |access-date=2025-05-19}}</ref>
|}

== Activities ==
The Sena says it has played a central role in the emancipation of 500,000 slum dwellers in the [[Dharavi]] area of Mumbai, the largest slum in Asia. However, the policy of giving free houses to slum dwellers has been controversial since it was introduced by the then Shiv Sena-BJP government.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/aug/12sena.htm|title=Rediff On The NeT: An interview with Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray|website=www.rediff.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Highrises-dont-suit-Dharavi-slum-dwellers/articleshow/1386244.cms?referral=PM|title='Highrises don't suit Dharavi slum dwellers'|work=The Times of India|date=25 January 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040423/election.htm|title=The Tribune, Chandigarh, - Elections 2004|website=www.tribuneindia.com}}</ref>{{Explain|reason=Why is this controversial?|date=August 2018}}

In the 1970s, Shiv Sena was opposed to the [[Namantar Andolan]], a [[Dalit]]-led movement to change the name of Marathwada University in [[Aurangabad, Maharashtra|Aurangabad]] to "Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar University", and supported views of conservative Marathas.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-nativists-dilemma/ |title=The nativist's dilemma |newspaper=The Indian Express |date=2014-10-14 |access-date=2015-12-02}}</ref>

In 1996, Shiv Sena organised the first and only live concert of American pop icon [[Michael Jackson]] in India to raise the funds for its business wing and to help create over two-hundred seventy thousand jobs for people of [[Maharashtra]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2015/06/25/michael-jackson-india_n_7659626.html |title=The Way We Were: Footage of Michael Jackson's 1996 Trip To Mumbai |publisher=Huffingtonpost.in |date=2015-06-25 |access-date=2015-12-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/leader-who-brought-ethnic-politics-to-mumbai-melting-pot/article4105715.ece |title=Leader who brought ethnic politics to Mumbai melting pot |newspaper=The Hindu |access-date=2016-12-01}}</ref>

Shiv Sena got an entry in [[Guinness Book of World Records]] in 2010 for "collecting maximum blood in a day". Shiv Sena organized a blood donation camp which collected over 24,000 bottles of blood in a single day.<ref>{{cite web|author=Kiran Tare |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-24200-donors-help-sena-set-record-1375590 |title=24,200 donors help Sena set record &#124; Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis |publisher=Dnaindia.com |date=2010-04-26 |access-date=2015-12-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/maharashtra/shiv-sena-makes-record-collection-at-blood-donation-camp_622001.html |title=Shiv Sena makes record collection at blood donation camp &#124; Zee News |publisher=Zeenews.india.com |date=2010-04-25 |access-date=2015-12-02}}</ref> Later this world record was broken by a blood donation camp of [[HDFC Bank]] in 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/hdfc-bank-sets-guinness-record-in-blood-collection/article5911574.ece |title=HDFC Bank sets Guinness record in blood collection |newspaper=The Hindu |date=2014-04-14 |access-date=2015-12-02}}</ref>

In 2015 Shiv Sena announced 10,000 rupees help to each drought-affected farmer of [[Marathwada]] region,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Shiv-Sena-will-give-Rs-10000-to-each-drought-affected-farmer-says-Uddhav-Thackeray/articleshow/49973619.cms |title=Shiv Sena will give Rs 10,000 to each drought-affected farmer, says Uddhav Thackeray |date=30 November 2015 |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=2015-12-02}}</ref> while they also announced 2 lakh rupees "reward" to Hindus family who had 5 children between 2010 and 2015 in [[Uttar Pradesh]]. As per Shiv Sena, the reason behind the "reward" was "decline in growth rate of Hindu population compared to Muslim population as per recent census".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/every-hindu-family-with-five-children-will-get-rs-2-lakh-shiv-sena/ |title=Every Hindu family with five children will get Rs 2 lakh: Shiv Sena |newspaper=The Indian Express |date=2015-08-29 |access-date=2015-12-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Shiv-Sena-to-give-Rs-2-lakh-to-every-Hindu-family-with-5-kids/articleshow/48728260.cms |title=Shiv Sena to give Rs 2 lakh to every Hindu family with 5 kids |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=2015-08-30 |access-date=2015-12-02}}</ref>

In January 2016, the Shiv Sena demanded that the words "secular" and "socialist" be "permanently removed" from the [[Preamble to the Constitution of India|Constitution's Preamble]] which were added in the [[Forty-second Amendment of the Constitution of India|42nd amendment]] during [[The Emergency (India)|the emergency]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-01-29|title=Shiv Sena demands removal of 'secular' from Constitution|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/shiv-sena-demands-removal-of-secular-from-constitution/|access-date=2020-10-15|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> In April 2019, party member [[Sanjay Raut]] called for the [[burqa]] to be banned.<ref>{{Cite news|author=<!--Not stated-->|date=2019-05-01|title=Hardline Indian group allied with Modi calls for ban on the veil|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sri-lanka-blasts-burqa-india-idUSKCN1S739A|access-date=2020-10-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2 May 2019|title=Shiv Sena calls for ban on burqa in public places  |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/shiv-sena-calls-for-ban-on-burqa-in-public-places/articleshow/69123648.cms|access-date=2020-10-15|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

=== Under Eknath Shinde leadership ===

Since assuming leadership, Eknath Shinde has expanded the party's focus on infrastructure development and welfare schemes in Maharashtra. The party under Shinde has emphasized improving urban infrastructure, including metro rail projects and road expansions in Mumbai and Pune.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Shinde government’s development plans for Maharashtra|url=https://www.example.com/shinde-maharashtra-development|access-date=2025-05-19|website=Example News}}</ref>

Shinde-led Shiv Sena has launched various schemes to support farmers, including increased subsidies on agricultural equipment and enhanced access to irrigation facilities.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Maharashtra farmers benefit from Shinde government schemes|url=https://www.example.com/shinde-farmers-support|access-date=2025-05-19|website=Example News}}</ref>

The party has also worked on strengthening public health infrastructure in the state, focusing on upgrading government hospitals and improving healthcare accessibility in rural areas.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Healthcare reforms under Eknath Shinde|url=https://www.example.com/shinde-healthcare|access-date=2025-05-19|website=Example News}}</ref>

Under Shinde, the Shiv Sena has been actively promoting local cultural events and festivals to preserve and celebrate Maharashtrian heritage.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Shinde government promotes Marathi culture|url=https://www.example.com/shinde-culture|access-date=2025-05-19|website=Example News}}</ref>

These initiatives have strengthened the party’s position as a major force in Maharashtra politics, emphasizing development and welfare alongside its traditional identity.

==Controversies and criticism==
The Shiv Sena has been involved in several controversies, ranging from hooliganism, criminal activities, spreading religious bigotry, and moral policing.

In December 2003, Shiv Sena activists damaged the cricket pitch of the Agra Sport Stadium which was supposed to host the cricket match between Pakistan and India.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}} In April 2005, Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena, the student wing of Shiv Sena, attempted to prevent the India-Pakistan [[One-day international]] match being held in New Delhi. The protester's spokesman demanded:

{{Blockquote|India should not play cricket with Pakistan till it hands over to India 20 terrorists, including [[Dawood Ibrahim]], and closes down militant training camps running there.<ref name="Hindu-2005-04">{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/15/stories/2005041518520300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904020030/http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/15/stories/2005041518520300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 September 2015|title=Sena squad for Kotla|access-date=18 February 2012|location=[[Chennai]]|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=15 April 2005}}</ref>}}

The Sena acted as a "[[moral police]]" and opposed Valentine's Day celebrations.<ref name=":2" /> On 14 February 2006, Bal Thackeray condemned and apologised for the violent attacks by its Shiv Sainiks on a private celebration in Mumbai. "It is said that women were beaten up in the Nallasopara incident. If that really happened, then it is a symbol of cowardice. I have always instructed Shiv Sainiks that in any situation women should not be humiliated and harassed."<ref>{{cite news |agency=[[Press Trust of India|PTI]] |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Thackeray-condemns-V-Day-attacks-by-Sainiks/articleshow/1419743.cms |title=Thackeray condemns V-Day attacks by Sainiks |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |date=18 February 2006 |location=Mumbai |access-date=13 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811045804/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-02-18/india/27813894_1_sena-mouthpiece-saamna-sena-chief-bal-thackeray-shiv-sainiks |archive-date=11 August 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> Thackeray and the Shiv Sena remained opposed to it, although they indicated support for an "Indian alternative".<ref>{{cite news |agency=Press Trust of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Thackeray-suggests-Indian-version-of-V-Day/articleshow/1413273.cms |title=Thackeray suggests Indian version of V-Day |date=13 February 2006 |access-date=13 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811045812/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-02-13/india/27806760_1_sena-chief-bal-thackeray-valentine-s-day-saamna |archive-date=11 August 2011 |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/right-wing-to-go-easy-on-couples-this-valentine-s-day-175815 |title=Right-wing to go easy on couples this Valentine's Day |work=NDTV.com |access-date=17 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217061835/http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/right-wing-to-go-easy-on-couples-this-valentine-s-day-175815 |archive-date=17 February 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>

On 20 November 2009, Shiv Sena activists attacked and vandalised the offices of [[Hindi]] and [[Marathi language]] TV news channels [[IBN7]] and [[IBN-Lokmat]], located in Mumbai and [[Pune]] respectively. The Shivsainik slapped IBN7's senior editor Ravindra Ambekar and then attacked IBN-Lokmat's editor Nikhil Wagle. Shiv Sena attributed the attacks to the criticisms of [[Bal Thackeray]] by the news channel over his remarks on [[Sachin Tendulkar]]. Shiv Sena's [[Rajya Sabha]] [[Member of Parliament (India)|MP]] Sanjay Raut described the attacks as "spontaneous". Shiv Sena spokespersons tried to justify the attacks and refused to apologize for their acts of violence.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/time-for-cnn-ibn-to-introspect/544428/|title=In the name of their Boss, Sena goons attack IBN TV channels - Indian Express|website=archive.indianexpress.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/if-you-target-us-we-will-attack-shiv-sena-leader/105645-3.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091123095135/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/if-you-target-us-we-will-attack-shiv-sena-leader/105645-3.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-11-23|title=Sena leader admits attack on media|work=IBNLive}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/shiv-sena-attacks-ibn-offices-in-mumbai-pune/105636-3.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091123171327/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/shiv-sena-attacks-ibn-offices-in-mumbai-pune/105636-3.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-11-23|title='Shiv Sena workers' attack ibn offices in Mum|work=IBNLive}}</ref>

On 18 November 2012, following the death of founder [[Bal Thackeray]], [[Mumbai Police]], under the pressure of Shiv Sena workers and activists, arrested a 21-year-old woman who posted a Facebook comment against him, as well as her friend who "liked" the comment. Shiv Sena members, who took it as an insult, vandalised the clinic owned by the woman's relative.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Anup |last=Kaphle |title=Who was Bal Thackeray and why did Mumbai come to a standstill this weekend? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2012/11/19/who-is-bal-thackeray-and-why-did-mumbai-come-to-a-standstill-this-weekend/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=19 November 2012 |issn=0190-8286 |language=en-US |access-date=7 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223062700/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2012/11/19/who-is-bal-thackeray-and-why-did-mumbai-come-to-a-standstill-this-weekend/ |archive-date=23 February 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url= https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/facebook-post-on-shiv-sena-chief-bal-thackeray-girl-says-she-will-not-visit-fb-9-held-for-vandalism/articleshow/17295862.cms?from=mdr|title= Facebook post on Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray: Girl says she will not visit FB, 9 held for vandalism|newspaper= The Economic Times|date= 20 November 2012}}</ref> The charges were subsequently dropped in January 2013, and in July 2014, the Government of Maharashtra was ordered to pay compensation of Rs 50,000 to each victim after the National Human Rights Commission noted that the detention was illegal and violated rights to freedom of speech and expression.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.news18.com/news/politics/maharashtra-government-to-pay-rs-50000-to-girls-arrested-over-fb-row-on-bal-thackerays-death-702011.html|title= Maharashtra government to pay Rs.50,000 to girls arrested over FB row on Bal Thackeray's death|date= 15 July 2014}}</ref>

On 2 November 2014, during the [[2014 Kiss of Love protest|Kiss of Love protest]] against moral policing, members of Shiv Sena, [[Bajrang Dal]], [[Vishwa Hindu Parishad]] and many other right wing groups opposed and attacked protestors and threatened to strip protestors for kissing on the streets. These opposing groups claimed that [[public display of affection]] is against both Indian culture and the law of the land (under section 294 of the Indian Penal Code), though according to the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court, kissing in public is not a criminal offence.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Kissing-in-public-by-married-couple-not-obscene-HC/articleshow/4066941.cms|title=Kissing in public by married couple not obscene: HC|work=The Times of India|date=2 February 2009 |access-date=26 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-10-31|title=Kerala High Court refuses to interfere with Kochi Kiss fest|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/kerala-high-court-refuses-to-interfere-with-kochi-kiss-fest/|access-date=2021-10-17|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> Police took many of the Kiss of Love protestors into custody to save their lives, but were blamed for giving a free hand to counter protestors of the right wing groups.<ref>{{Cite web|date=5 November 2014|first=Asha|last=Prakash|title=We took kiss of love activists into custody to save their lives {|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/we-took-kiss-of-love-activists-into-custody-to-save-their-lives/articleshow/45043053.cms|access-date=2021-10-17|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

In October 2015, Shiv Sena issued threats which enforced a ban on a scheduled concert by Pakistani classic singer [[Ghulam Ali (singer)|Ghulam Ali]]. The move was adopted to appease anti-Pakistan constituents to vote for Sena in coming elections.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/bjp-shiv-sena-ghulam-ali-stand-off-why-differences-between-them-may-increase/ |title=BJP-Shiv Sena Ghulam Ali stand-off: Why differences between them may increase |newspaper=[[The Indian Express]] |date=9 October 2015 |access-date=9 October 2015}}</ref> However, in 2015 Pakistan urged the international community to take note of the activities of Shiv Sena,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1216390 |title=Pakistan urges world to take notice of Shiv Sena activities - Pakistan |date=30 October 2015 |publisher=Dawn.Com |access-date=2015-12-02}}</ref> while Shiv Sena claimed that criticism of Shiv Sena by Pakistan vindicates "our patriotism".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/pakistan-s-stand-on-party-activities-vindicates-our-patriotism-shiv-sena-115110200409_1.html |title=Pakistan's stand on party activities vindicates our patriotism: Shiv Sena &#124; Business Standard News |newspaper=Business Standard India |date=2 November 2015 |publisher=Business-standard.com |access-date=2015-12-02|agency=Press Trust of India }}</ref>

On 19 October 2015, Shiv Sena activists attacked and vandalised the office of [[Board of Control for Cricket in India|BCCI]] to stop a meeting between [[Pakistan Cricket Board|PCB]] and [[Board of Control for Cricket in India|BCCI]] officials. The activists shouted anti-Pakistan slogans and held posters that read 'Shahryar Khan go back', determined to stop Manohar from meeting his Pakistani counterpart. Shiv Sena has also threatened to stop Pakistan's Aleem Dar from officiating in the fifth and final ODI between India and South Africa.<ref name="bcci_attack">{{cite news | url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1214126 | title=Shiv Sena activists storm BCCI HQ over Shaharyar-Manohar meeting | work=Dawn News | date=19 October 2015 | access-date=9 November 2015}}</ref>

On 23 March 2017, while travelling to [[Delhi]] from [[Pune]], Shiv Sena leader [[Ravindra Gaikwad]] was accused of thrashing [[Air India]] staff with his shoe, when they tried to make him disembark the plane, after being denied a business class seat because the flight was all-economy.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Phukan|first=Sandeep|date=3 March 2017|title='Hit Him 25 Times': Sena MP's Assault Has Air India Debating No-Fly List|url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/shiv-sena-mp-ravindra-gaikwad-beat-air-india-employee-with-slippers-over-seat-says-airline-1672656|access-date=23 February 2021|website=NDTV}}</ref> The [[Delhi Police]] had charged him with hitting government staff on duty, as well as taking the plane ransom without departing from the plane. The incident led to the creation of [[No Fly List (India)|No-Fly List]] in India, and Gaikwad was the first person to be put on the list.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bawa|first=Parmeshwar|date=24 March 2017|title=Not On Our Flights: Airlines Ban Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, 2 Cancel His Ticket|url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/not-on-our-flights-airline-association-bans-sena-mp-who-turned-violent-1672941|access-date=23 February 2021|website=NDTV}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Haidar|first=Faizan|date=29 March 2017|title=Sena MP Gaikwad books yet another ticket to Delhi, Air India cancels it too|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/sena-mp-ravindra-gaikwad-books-mumbai-delhi-ticket-air-india-cancels-it/story-yRi5lrFTdKBBuirDASsxYO.html|access-date=23 February 2021|website=Hindustan Times}}</ref>

On 19 July 2017, [[RJ Malishka|Malishka Mendonsa]], a popular radio jockey of [[Red FM (India)|Red FM]], released a parody video on YouTube targeting the [[Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation]] for incompetence in dealing potholed roads. In response to the video, the BMC and Shiv Sena slammed her and sent a notice imposing a penalty of Rs 10,000 for defamation.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/rj-malishka-bmc-controversy-civic-body-slaps-fine-of-rs-10-000-on-the-radio-jockey-326363.html|title= RJ Malishka-BMC Controversy: Civic Body Slaps Fine Of Rs 10,000 On The Radio Jockey|date= 22 July 2017}}</ref> As a result of the notice, several political parties criticized the BMC and Shiv Sena for intolerance towards criticism, as 2 Shiv Sena corporators sent a legal notice with a suit of Rs. 500 cr (Rs. 5 billion) against the RJ and Red FM.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.deccanherald.com/india/sena-slams-rj-parody-bmc-2015574|title= Sena slams RJ for parody on BMC}}</ref> Malishka made another parody video against the BMC and released it on 17 July 2018, describing the incapability and pathetic conditions of Mumbai's infrastructure in the monsoons.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/celebrities/rj-malishka-new-rain-song-mumbai-geli-khadayat#read-more|title= RJ Malishka Takes a Dig at BMC Again in New Mumbai Rain Parody|date= 17 July 2018}}</ref>

During the 2018 Maharashtra Council election and the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, many candidates fielded by Shiv Sena had criminal records or had criminal charges pending against them.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2018/jun/22/shiv-sena-tops-list-of-candidates-with-criminal-background-in-maharashtra-legislative-council-polls-1831921.html|title=Shiv Sena tops list of candidates with criminal background in Maharashtra legislative council polls|website=The New Indian Express|date=22 June 2018 |access-date=2019-05-31}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/shiv-sena-tops-list-of-candidates-with-criminal-cases-adr-114030700668_1.html|title=Shiv Sena tops list of candidates with criminal cases: ADR|date=2014-03-07|work=Business Standard India|access-date=2019-05-31}}</ref>

Following actress [[Kangana Ranaut]]'s criticism of [[Uddhav Thackeray]] and his Government for mishandling the [[death of Sushant Singh Rajput]] in September 2020, Shiv Sena leaders, including [[Sanjay Raut]] issued threats to her.<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/kangana-ranaut-shares-video-message-for-sanjay-raut-your-men-tell-me-they-will-break-my-jaw-kill-me-i-ll-see-you-on-9th/story-jPzdN3suT0zjK2EVsNShmI.html|title= Kangana Ranaut shares video message for Sanjay Raut: 'Your men tell me they will break my jaw, kill me. I'll see you on 9th'|newspaper= Hindustan Times|date= 6 September 2020}}</ref> On the orders of Shiv Sena leaders, the [[Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation]] demolished a portion of her house. Following the demolition, the [[Bombay High Court]] criticized the BMC and ruled in her favour, noting that BMC acted with malice and ordered BMC to pay compensation to Ranaut.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/bmc-malice-to-demolish-kangana-ranaut-bungalow-bombay-high-court-1744555-2020-11-27|title= BMC acted with malice to demolish Kangana Ranaut bungalow, must pay for damages, rules Bombay HC|date= 27 November 2020}}</ref> Due to the nature of threats, Ranaut was given security from the [[Central Reserve Police Force]] from the Central Government.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.indiatoday.in/india-today-insight/story/the-cost-of-protecting-kangana-1720619-2020-09-10|title= The cost of protecting Kangana {{!}} India Today Insight|date= 10 September 2020}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of political parties in India]]
*[[List of Hindu nationalist political parties]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''Ethnicity and Equality: The Shiv Sena Party and Preferential Policies in Bombay'', MF Katzenstein&nbsp;– 1979&nbsp;– Cornell University Press
* ''Warriors in Politics: Hindu Nationalism, Violence, and the Shiv Sena in India'', S Banerjee&nbsp;– 2000&nbsp;– Westview Press
* ''The Charisma of Direct Action: Power, Politics, and the Shiv Sena'', JM Eckert&nbsp;– 2003&nbsp;– Oxford University Press
* ''Shiv Sena: An Assessment'', Palshikar, Suhas, Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Pune, Pune (1999)
* ''Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found, 'Power', chapter 3, Mumbai'', Mehta, Suketu, Penguin Books (2005)

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://shivsena.in/}} 
* {{Portal bar|Politics|Hinduism|1960s}}

{{Indian political parties}}
{{Shiv Sena}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Shiv Sena| ]]
[[Category:Far-right political parties in India]]
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[[Category:Hindu nationalism]]
[[Category:Conservative parties in India]]
[[Category:Regionalist parties in India]]
[[Category:Anti-Pakistan sentiment]]
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[[Category:Right-wing populist parties]]
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[[Category:Political parties in Maharashtra]]