Shiv Sena

Shiv Sena is a political party in India that represents Marathi regional interests and was established in 1966 by Balasaheb Thackeray. Under the leadership of Eknath Shinde, the party has been in power in Maharashtra since 2019. The election symbol of Shiv Sena is the Bow and Arrow.

Following the 2019 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election, the party exited the coalition due to conflicts with the BJP regarding the chief minister position. Under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena formed an alliance with its traditional adversaries, the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party. In the aftermath of the 2022 Maharashtra political crisis, the party divided into two factions: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), led by Thackeray, and Eknath Shinde, who maintained leadership of the original party.