Mumbai: The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Tuesday attacked Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde over his claim that Maharashtra local body polls have finally settled the debate over the “real” Shiv Sena.

In a scathing editorial in the party’s mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’, the Thackeray camp claimed, “The liars say, ‘Our Shiv Sena is real!’ But what is real and what is fake – the common people of the state recognise this. Those who dedicated their victory to Modi-Shah’s feet, the symbol ‘Shiv Sena’ does not suit those thieves. These same Modi-Shah stole the bow and arrow and handed it over to eight traitors in Maharashtra. The theft of Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and local body elections has taken the form of ‘yours, mine, theirs’. The picture ahead will be different – we have no doubt about this.”

According to the editorial, Eknath Shinde has claimed credit for the work shown by the real Shiv Sena people. This is a hollow credit. His party’s claim of solid work in Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and now local body elections is hollow. “Originally, the name ‘Shiv Sena’ and the symbol bow and arrow were obtained through Amit Shah’s pressure. The merit of the bow and arrow is significant, and Balasaheb Thackeray, the Shiv Sena chief, had established the ‘bow and arrow’ in every household. These ‘merits’ have been stolen and the real Shiv Sena is being talked about,” said the editorial.

It further stated that the dispute between Shiv Sena and the bow and arrow is still pending in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has given six months’ time for the Election Commission to make a decision. “Dates are not being set there, but after 40 MLAs crossed over to the other side and the decision was made according to law and constitution, Shiv Sena and bow and arrow are encouraging a decision on whose symbol it is!” the editorial said.

The Thackeray camp said that despite the electoral successes of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, legal disputes regarding the party’s “real” status and official symbols remain unresolved. It said, “The Supreme Court has scheduled a final hearing for January 21, 2026, to address the symbol dispute between the Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions. A similar hearing for the NCP symbol dispute is set for January 22, 2026. The year ends with political parties shifting focus toward the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, which are slated for January 15.” The editorial has even questioned the timing of the hearing in the court.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena alleged, “The results of local body elections are bought and sold through auction. There is no integrity or transparency found anywhere in these results. The ruling party has acquired the art of buying the machinery and voters, and people like Amit Shah kindly make them win elections by stealing the Shiv Sena and bow and arrow. As Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis vows to transform the face of the state following these results, the opposition remains defiant. They describe the current political state as one of ‘looting and deception’ and express confidence that the political picture in Maharashtra will shift in the future,” said the editorial.

Patna, Dec 23: Panic gripped passengers on Tuesday after the Ara–Sasaram train hit an agricultural equipment (rotavator) on the railway track near Udwantnagar in Bhojpur district of Bihar.

The incident occurred at around 7.54 a.m., shortly after the train departed from Ara railway station.

According to a railway official, the passenger train left Ara at 7:44 a.m. Approximately ten minutes later, Gadhani Station Master S.K. Singh received information from the control room that the train had struck a vehicle on the railway track.

Fortunately, no casualties were reported, and the train did not derail.

Railway authorities promptly alerted senior officials, and railway staff rushed to the spot to manage the situation.

Passengers were safely evacuated and reassured by railway personnel.

Eyewitnesses said there was momentary chaos inside the train. Railway staff quickly brought the situation under control and shifted passengers to a safe area.

Preliminary investigations suggest that dense morning fog may have caused the accident.

Due to poor visibility, the rotavator driver allegedly failed to notice the approaching train in time. The agricultural equipment suddenly appeared on the track, leading to the incident.

The rotavator driver reportedly fell from the vehicle after the impact but escaped without serious injuries.

Railway officials said the train was moving at a controlled speed, and the alert loco pilot, who applied emergency brakes, helped avert a major mishap.

Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel later inspected the track to ensure passenger safety.

After a brief halt and clearance of the track, the train resumed its journey at a slow speed and later continued as per schedule.

The railway administration has initiated an inquiry to determine how the rotavator reached the railway track.

While initial findings ruled out negligence on the part of the train driver, officials have warned local farmers and villagers against bringing vehicles or agricultural equipment close to railway lines.

In view of the rising railway incidents in Bihar, authorities have ordered heightened vigilance in fog-prone areas and instructed staff to monitor track safety.

Railway authorities have urged passengers to remain calm during emergencies and follow staff instructions to ensure safety.

In the aftermath of the BJP’s commanding performance in the Maharashtra local body elections, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has asked party leaders to exercise restraint and avoid sharp attacks on allies within the Mahayuti alliance. the message was conveyed during a late night core committee meeting held at the Chief Minister’s official residence, where the party reviewed both its successes and shortcomings.

Despite the BJP emerging as the single largest force in the civic polls, Fadnavis is said to have flagged defeats in several municipal councils and nagar panchayats, including in districts represented by BJP legislators. The Chief Minister reportedly told leaders that the party must aim for stronger performance in civic elections, especially at the grassroots level.

Fadnavis issued a clear warning against public criticism of allies, including Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party. He advised leaders to maintain discipline even if seat sharing arrangements fail to materialise during upcoming civic polls.

The directive comes after a tense run up to the local body elections, during which seat sharing talks within the NDA camp repeatedly stalled. Several constituencies witnessed so called friendly contests, with alliance partners pitted against each other, leading to sharp exchanges on the ground.

The Mahayuti alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena and NCP swept elections to 288 municipal councils and nagar panchayats across the state. Together, the allies secured 207 president posts, while the opposition alliance of Congress, Shiv Sena UBT and NCP SP was restricted to just 44.

The BJP won 117 president posts, followed by the Sena with 53 and the NCP with 37. In the opposition camp, Congress emerged as the best performer with 28 posts, though it fell far short of challenging the ruling alliance’s dominance.

A key takeaway from the results has been the performance of the Shinde led Shiv Sena. This was the first major election since the Sena split in which the party directly contested against the BJP in several seats. Despite being the junior partner in the Mahayuti, the Sena posted a higher strike rate than the BJP.

The party also expanded beyond its traditional strongholds in the Konkan region and the Thane belt, making notable inroads into rural and semi urban Maharashtra. Celebrating the outcome, Shinde said critics who claimed the Sena was confined to Thane had received their answer, asserting that the party had reached from Chanda to Banda across the state.

Thanking voters for their support, Fadnavis described the local body poll results as a trailer of what lies ahead in the upcoming municipal corporation elections. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation election is scheduled for January 15, with results to be declared the following day.

The last BMC polls were held in 2017, when the undivided Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party. This time, the two Sena factions will face off in a high stakes prestige battle. Shinde’s strong showing is expected to bolster his bargaining position with the BJP during seat sharing talks, while the opposition faces an uphill task in recovering from successive electoral setbacks.