The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the fresh plea of the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena on proceedings before the Election Commission of India about Eknath Shinde group’s claim as the ‘real’ Shiv Sena, today. Sources claim about 85 per cent former corporators from Navi Mumbai, Thane and such smaller civic bodies around Mumbai are now with Shinde.

This is one of the toughest blows that the Shiv Sena has received, and the question remains, will the Uddhav-led Sena rise or bite the dust? The shift of the former corporators is a disturbing indicator as they are crucial to citizen connect, since they are the grassroot workers, regularly in touch with the electorate. Uddhav loyalists are few and have put up a brave face. “Though these former corporators have joined Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s camp, when the time comes, they will always support us, just wait and watch,” a Uddhav loyalist said.