BJP MP Nishikant Dubey targets Shiv Sena (UBT) over Congress alliance, cites 1969 ‘plot’ against Bal Thackeray

Bharatiya Janata Party BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Wednesday launched a sharp political attack on Shiv Sena UBT for aligning with the Congress as part of the opposition INDIA bloc citing what he described as a 1969 parliamentary document referring to an alleged conspiracy to assassinate Shiv Sena founder Bal ThackerayDubey shared the document on social media platform X and questioned the political stance of the faction led by Uddhav Thackeray arguing that Bal Thackeray had historically taken a strong position against the CongressDubey cites alleged 1969 conspiracy against Bal ThackerayIn his post Dubey claimed that a conspiracy had been hatched in 1969 to assassinate Bal Thackeray and that questions were raised in Parliament at the time about cancelling his revolver licenceldquoShiv Sena UBT have some shame The conspiracy to assassinate Balasaheb Thackeray ji was hatched in 1969 questions were raised in Parliament to cancel his revolver licencerdquo Dubey wroteHe further alleged that after learning about the alleged conspiracy Bal Thackeray had vowed never to align with the Congress during his lifetimeldquoFor the sake of power ideology has been sacrificedrdquo Dubey added in his post criticising the political alignment of the presentday Shiv Sena UBTPost highlights split within Shiv SenaDubey also tagged Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray in his message highlighting the ongoing political divide within the Shiv SenaThe party split in 2022 with one faction led by Shinde aligning with the BJP while the Uddhav Thackerayled faction remained part of the opposition allianceThe BJP leaderrsquos remarks come amid heightened political activity ahead of the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in March 2026Shiv Sena UBT coordinating with Congress for electionsOn March 2 the Shiv Sena UBT confirmed that it was coordinating with the Indian National Congress as part of the oppositionrsquos broader electoral strategy within the INDIA blocThe alliance between the Shiv Sena UBT Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party was first formed in 2019 to establish the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in MaharashtraThe partnership marked a significant shift in Maharashtrarsquos political landscape bringing together parties that had historically been political rivalsHistorical references to alleged plot resurfaceThe political debate has revived references to the alleged 1969 conspiracy against Bal Thackeray a claim that has been mentioned in political discussions involving the Shiv Sena and BJP over the yearsAccording to such claims tensions in the late 1960s between the Shiv Sena and Leftwing groups led to allegations of a plot against the Sena founder at a time when the party was rapidly emerging as a force in Maharashtra politicsDuring that period the Shiv Sena gained prominence through its ldquosons of the soilrdquo movement which emphasised employment opportunities for Marathispeaking locals and raised issues such as the MaharashtrandashKarnataka border disputeBal Thackerayrsquos strong opposition to CongressBal Thackeray had frequently criticised the Congress and had publicly ruled out any alliance with the party during his lifetimeHe had once remarked that if circumstances ever forced him to join hands with the Congress he would rather ldquoclose his shoprdquo referring metaphorically to shutting down the Shiv SenaHis political ideology emphasised Hindutva and regional identity which he believed stood in opposition to the Congressrsquo political approachBal Thackeray was also known for his strong criticism of veteran leader Sharad Pawar whom he had sharply attacked in several public statements over the yearsLegacy debate continues in Maharashtra politicsThe historical stance taken by Bal Thackeray has often been invoked in contemporary political debates in MaharashtraOpponents of the Shiv Sena UBT particularly the BJP have repeatedly described its alliance with the Congress as a departure from Bal Thackerayrsquos ideological legacyHowever the Uddhav Thackerayled faction has defended its alliance as a political necessity formed to counter the BJP and maintain a broader opposition frontThe debate over Bal Thackerayrsquos legacy continues to shape political narratives in Maharashtra especially as rival factions of the Shiv Sena seek to claim his ideological and organisational inheritanceWith inputs from IANS