Maharashtra
Shiv Shakti & Bhim Shakti to take on BJP in BMC elections
Days after their meeting at the launch of a website and initial exploratory talks between leaders of two parties, the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi founder Prakash Ambedkar on Monday met to take forward talks on alliance ahead of upcoming BMC elections.
This is yet another attempt of ShivShakti and BhimShakti to jointly take on BJP. Both the leaders, who met for over two hours at the suburban five star hotel, have been unanimous for stitching an alliance against a common rival BJP.
Uddhav Thackeray, party MP Vinayak Raut and Thackeray’s close aide Milind Narvekar were present from Shiv Sena UBT Thackeray while VBA was represented by Prakash Ambedkar and his son Sujat Ambedkar. Earlier, Thackeray group leader Subhash Desai and the VBA delegation have held two meetings and indicated that the alliance is in the pipeline.
A Shiv Sena UBT leader said they will meet again to work out further details of an alliance. Although Thackeray and Ambedkar were tight lipped over their talks but leaders from both the sides hinted that the talks were quite positive and soon a final picture will emerge. The alliance between the two is important especially when BJP has launched Mission 2022 to defeat Shiv Sena UBT and win power in BMC.
Leader of Opposition in the state council and Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader Ambadas Danve said, ‘’It is a good sign if the Shiv Shakti and Bhim Shakti are coming together. If the grandsons of Prabodhankar Thackeray and BR Ambedkar are joining hands together it needs to be seen not merely from the political angle but also from the social perspective.’’
He further noted,’’Maharashtra is a progressive state. Earlier also the Shiv Shakti and Bhim Shakti had come together and efforts were made to create a rift between the two. However, once again if they will ally together this time it will be a good step from the political and social point of view.’’
However, It needs to be seen whether the alliance will restrict to Shiv Sena UBT and VBA or whether the latter will be the fourth ally in the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Insiders from these parties said with the inclusion of VBA in the MVA, the number of individual seats among Shiv Sena UBT, NCP and Congress during their distribution will be reduced.
‘’Therefore, clarity is needed. If the alliance will take place only between Thackeray camp and VBT, then the former will have to leave a few seats to Ambedkar without disturbing the seat allocation to NCP and Congress,’’ a senior NCP leader told the Free Press Journal.
Hours after the meeting, BJP taunted that even if Thackeray and All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Mr Asaduddin Owaisi come together, it won’t impact the poll prospects BJP-Eknath Shinde led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena in BMC.
‘’No matter with whom Uddhav Thackeray forms an alliance, we are ready to win the election. Our opponents are already united in the form of Maha Vikas Aghadi, yet we have won the Gram Panchayat elections after forming the government in the state. It does not matter if any party unites against us. The Shinde Fadnavis government is doing good work. BJP and Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena are strengthening the alliance. We are preparing to get 51 percent votes. So the opposition alliance will not make any difference to us,’’ said the state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule.
He further claimed that no one owns the votes of backward classes or tribals saying that Mr Ambedkar does not alone represents votes of Dalits and backward class.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Cleanliness of Narelwadi graveyard since Shab-e-Barat, restoration of closed pillars in the graveyard, cleaning of the graveyard by Corporator Waqar Khan’s team

Mumbai: Ahead of Shab-e-Barat, the process of cleaning the graveyard is underway. South Mumbai Ward No. 211 Corporator Waqar Khan met the trustees of Narelwadi graveyard recently. During this meeting, it was revealed by the trustees that the six high-mast lights installed in the graveyard had been switched off for the last eight months, due to which severe difficulties were being faced at night.
Taking the issue seriously, Waqar Khan spoke to the concerned officers of the BMC and demanded an immediate solution to the problem. Initially, the officers told that a fund of about Rs 24 lakh was required for this work, which is not available at the moment and it has to be approved.
Later, Waqar Khan maintained constant contact with senior officers and ward officers, as a result of which all the high-mast lights were reactivated within just two days.
During the visit to the graveyard, it was also observed that there is a need for serious cleaning. So within two to three days, under the leadership of Waqar Khan, about 40 to 50 locals of Madanpur Hanagpada personally took up the task of cleaning the graveyard without any political motive. In two to three hours, the area around about 50 graves was cleaned.
Taking forward this spirit, it was decided that a major cleaning drive would be launched on Sunday, February 1, in which 100 to 150 local, non-political people would participate.
This cleaning drive would continue from 11 am to 3 pm, with the aim of making this final resting place of Muslims clean, tidy and dignified. This drive is being carried out purely as a public service and religious and social responsibility, which does not involve any political motive.
Maharashtra
Mumbai Court Bars Filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap & Others From Making Statements Against Salman Khan, Family

Mumbai: The city civil court on Friday barred filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap and others from making any comments against Salman Khan and his family on any platform, in any form, while granting interim relief to the actor in a defamation suit filed against the filmmaker and others.
Khan had filed a defamation suit against Kashyap, Komal Mehru, Khushnoo Hazare, Ashok Kumar / John Doe, and various social media platforms for allegedly making defamatory statements against him and his family. While issuing restraining orders, the court observed that freedom of speech does not mean one can use abusive or threatening language against any individual.
Khan had approached the court following allegedly “scandalous, false, and grossly defamatory” statements made by Kashyap against him and his family members in various video interviews aired on the “Bollywood Thikana” channel, owned by Hazare. In those interviews and videos, Kashyap is alleged to have used offensive language and accused the family of running a cartel to destroy careers.
There are allegedly 26 such video interviews and podcasts released between September and December 2025, which are at the centre of the controversy. In the suit filed through advocate Pradeep Gandhy, Khan sought a permanent injunction and Rs9 crore in damages for the comments made by Kashyap and others against him and his family.
Maharashtra
Crackdown on illegal street vendors in Andheri, Mumbai Municipal Corporation’s ‘K-Waste’ department takes action, citizens are relieved

Mumbai: Around 200 unauthorised hawkers and additional structures on footpaths in Ram Ganesh Gadkari Marg (Arla Marg) area of Andheri (West) in Mumbai were evicted by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation’s ‘K-West’ department yesterday (January 29, 2026). The operation, as per the instructions of Municipal Corporation Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani, was conducted under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner (Zone-4) Bhagya Shri Kapse, and Assistant Commissioner (K-West Division) Chakrapani Ale. Unauthorised additional structures were found on footpaths connecting Swami Vivekananda Marg and Gulmohar Marg in Andheri (West) and on Ram Ganesh Gadkari Marg (Arla Marg) adjacent to the entrance of Dr. No. Cooper Hospital. It was also observed that unauthorised hawkers have set up shops in this area. It was creating obstacles for ambulances bringing patients to Cooper Hospital in case of emergency and for pedestrians to walk on the footpaths.
In this context, an eviction drive was launched by the ‘K-West’ administrative department of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Under this, around 200 unauthorized hawkers and unauthorized additional structures established on the footpaths in this area were evicted.
The eviction was carried out with the help of 04 encroachment removal vehicles, 03 JCBs and other equipment. During this operation, an adequate police force including 100 officers and employees of the Municipal Corporation were deployed. Local representatives and citizens are expressing satisfaction over this action. The Municipal Corporation administration has made it clear that regular evictions against unauthorized structures will continue in the future.
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