BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) for aligning with the Congress in the INDIA Bloc, sharing what he described as a 1969 parliamentary document that allegedly referred to a conspiracy to assassinate Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and cancel his revolver licence.
Dubey used the document to question the political choices of the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena, arguing that Bal Thackeray had taken a strong stand against the Congress after learning of the alleged plot.
In a post on X, Dubey wrote, “Shiv Sena Uddhav, have some shame. The conspiracy to assassinate Balasaheb Thackeray ji was hatched in 1969; questions were raised in Parliament to cancel his revolver licence. After learning of the conspiracy, Balasaheb Thackeray ji took an oath that he would never align with Congress in his lifetime. For the sake of power, ideology has been sacrificed.”
Dubey also tagged Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray in his post, highlighting the ongoing split within the Shiv Sena and contrasting the political positions taken by different factions of the party.
This comes amid the ongoing political developments linked to the March 2026 Rajya Sabha elections. On March 2, Uddhav Thackeray’s faction confirmed that it was coordinating with the Congress as part of the Opposition’s broader electoral strategy.
The political debate has also revived references to the alleged 1969 conspiracy against Bal Thackeray, a claim that has frequently been cited in Shiv Sena and BJP political discourse over the years.
According to these claims, there was a conspiracy during the late 1960s to eliminate Bal Thackeray at a time when the Shiv Sena was emerging as a major force in Maharashtra politics. The allegations are often attributed to tensions between the Sena and Left-wing or Communist groups during that period.
The late 1960s were marked by the rise of Shiv Sena through campaigns focussed on “sons of the soil” issues, which emphasised employment opportunities for Marathi-speaking locals, as well as agitations related to border disputes such as the Maharashtra-Karnataka issue.
Bal Thackeray had often spoken strongly against aligning with the Congress party. He had once stated that if a situation ever arose where he had to join hands with the Congress, he would rather “close his shop”, referring to shutting down the Shiv Sena.
He viewed the Congress as an ideological rival, particularly due to his positions on Hindutva and regional pride in Maharashtra.
In addition to his criticism of the Congress, Bal Thackeray was also known for his sharp attacks on veteran leader Sharad Pawar.
In a 1999 interview, he reportedly vowed never to align with Pawar and described him as a “scoundrel” while referring to his role in the fall of the Vajpayee government.
The historical stance taken by Bal Thackeray has often been contrasted with the present political landscape in Maharashtra.
The Shiv Sena (UBT), led by his son Uddhav Thackeray, formed an alliance with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party to establish the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state in 2019.
Opponents, particularly the BJP, have repeatedly described this alliance between Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress as a “betrayal of Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy”, citing his past statements that strongly opposed any political partnership with the party.
