Shiv Sena (UBT) wins Eknath Shinde’s political bastion in Thane Civic Polls
Mumbai: In a result seen as one of the most symbolic outcomes of the Thane civic polls, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) has secured a victory in the ward where Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde resides, an area long considered his political stronghold.
Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Shahaji Khusphe defeated the Shinde-led Shiv Sena’s nominee and former mayor Ashok Vaiti by a margin of 667 votes. According to official figures, Khusphe polled 12,860 votes, while Vaiti secured 12,193 votes in Ward 13A.
The result has drawn considerable attention given Thane’s historical importance to the Shiv Sena. The city has traditionally been regarded as the party’s core base, shaped by the legacy of founder Bal Thackeray and the late Anand Dighe, and later closely associated with Shinde himself.
Following the split in the Shiv Sena in 2022, most of the party’s organisational structure in Thane, including a majority of shakhas and corporators, had moved to Shinde’s faction. This made Thane a prestige battleground for both the ruling Shinde-led Sena and the Sena (UBT).
Although the Sena (UBT) trails significantly in the overall contest for the Thane Municipal Corporation, the win in Shinde’s own locality has political significance. Ward 13 has four seats in total, of which the Shinde-led Shiv Sena won three. However, the Sena (UBT)’s victory in the most high-profile contest within the ward has raised eyebrows.
Observers note that the result suggests voter support has not entirely shifted along with organisational control. It also indicates that the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction continues to retain pockets of influence even in areas closely identified with Eknath Shinde.
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US VP JD Vance says Lebanon not part of ceasefire, calls it ‘misunderstanding’
Budapest/Washington: US Vice President J D Vance has said that Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire understanding with Iran, describing the confusion as a “legitimate misunderstanding”.
Speaking to reporters before departing from Hungary, Vance said, “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never made that promise.”
He stressed that the United States had not included Lebanon in the scope of the ceasefire at any stage.
His remarks come amid continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, where more than 200 people were reported killed, even as ceasefire talks between Iran and the US move forward.
Vance said Israel had “offered … to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful”.
He warned that if Iran allows the situation in Lebanon to affect the negotiations, it could derail the talks.
“If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart in a conflict where they were getting hammered over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice,” he said.
