September 20, 2025

Ulhasnagar is buzzing like a chessboard with sharp moves! Shiv Sena has once again played a smart game by teaming up with the local SAI Party ahead of the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation elections. The big alliance was revealed on Thursday evening, with top local leaders present and Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde at the heart of this winning deal. Shinde had earlier shocked many by bringing Team Omie Kalani (TOK) into Shiv Sena’s camp, boosting Sena with support from 15 TOK corporators. People initially thought TOK would back BJP, so Shinde's move was a surprise! At a press meet, Shrikant Shinde proudly said, “With both TOK and SAI joining hands with the Shiv Sena, the Mahayuti alliance had become stronger.” When asked about BJP not being there, Shinde calmly replied that BJP remains their “natural ally.” But there’s drama under the surface! Insiders reveal a growing strain between Shiv Sena and BJP locally. Trouble began when Ravindra Chavan, newly appointed BJP Maharashtra president, boldly declared that BJP would get the next mayors of Kalyan-Dombivli and Ulhasnagar. This did not please Shrikant Shinde, who, like his father Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, holds strong sway in the region. The rivalry heated up when Chavan tried to win over Omie Kalani’s group, but Shinde cleverly outsmarted him by bringing TOK fully into Sena's fold. Chavan hit back by splitting TOK and won over 5 corporators loyal to Kalani. Shinde quickly acted to hold onto the rest 15 corporators by sealing an alliance, keeping them loyal to Shiv Sena. Now the plot thickens! Shiv Sena has made a powerful new friend in Ulhasnagar— the SAI Party, led by Jivan Idnani, famously called the “gambler of Ulhasnagar politics.” Idnani has long been a major player here. Once a key force behind Pappu Kalani’s dominance, he later split off to form the GangaJal Front with Sai Balram, which evolved into the SAI Party. The SAI Party has a colorful history with Shiv Sena. In 2007, SAI won 12 corporator seats and, with Sena’s help, got the mayor’s chair. Despite splits, SAI stayed influential – winning 11 corporators in 2012 and sharing power with Shiv Sena. In 2017, after winning 12 seats, SAI shifted loyalty to BJP and teamed up with BJP and TOK. That alliance broke when TOK broke away to join Sena, helping Sena reclaim the mayor’s seat. Now, SAI Party is once again buddying up with Shiv Sena after more than 12 years in power. This move seriously dims the BJP’s dream of grabbing Ulhasnagar’s mayoral post. Fun fact: even as this unfolded, local BJP leaders kept promising they would win the mayor’s seat! Ulhasnagar’s political chess game just got spicier — and the fight for power is far from over!

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Tags: Ulhasnagar, Shiv sena, Bjp, Sai party, Municipal elections, Shrikant shinde,