Ananya Lohia , Mumbai - As Shiv Sena marks 60 years since its founding by Bal Thackeray, the party finds itself battling yet another internal crisis, with six MPs from Uddhav Thackeray's camp reportedly seeking to break away and join the faction led by Eknath Shinde.

Founded on June 19, 1966, Shiv Sena grew from a Mumbai-centric regional movement into one of Maharashtra's most influential political forces. The party established its dominance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in 1985 and forged a long-standing alliance with the BJP, which helped it form its first government in Maharashtra in 1995. Over the years, however, the party has repeatedly faced internal challenges. The first major split came in 1991 when Chhagan Bhujbal left with a group of MLAs. In 2005, Raj Thackeray quit the party and formed the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. Following Bal Thackeray's death in 2012, Uddhav Thackeray took over the party and later became chief minister in 2019 after forming the Maha Vikas Aghadi government with the Congress and NCP.

The biggest setback came in 2022 when Eknath Shinde led a rebellion that split the party and toppled the MVA government. The Election Commission later awarded the Shiv Sena name and bow-and-arrow symbol to the Shinde faction. Now, fresh reports of six UBT MPs seeking a separate group have once again raised questions over the future of the Thackeray-led faction, which has already suffered setbacks in recent Assembly and BMC elections.

As Shiv Sena completes six decades, its journey remains marked by political growth, leadership transitions and repeated rebellions. The latest crisis underscores the continuing battle for Bal Thackeray's legacy and the future direction of one of Maharashtra's most influential political parties.