High drama was witnessed on Wednesday at the historic Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg, where the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed, as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Narayan Rane and his son and former MP Nilesh arrived at the spot at the same time as Aaditya Thackeray, Shiv Sena UBT leader and son of former CM Uddhav Thackeray, along with other Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders.
Once close allies in the Sena, the Thackerays and Ranes are now staunch political rivals. Supporters of both factions soon clashed, engaging in heated exchanges and slogan shouting.
The collapse on Monday, just eight months after the installation, has sparked outrage across Maharashtra, leading to protests and demonstrations by citizens and political groups. The situation reached the boiling point as leaders from both the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the BJP-led ruling Mahayuti coalition converged at the fort. The MVA had organised a protest march to express their anger over the collapse and to demand accountability from the government.
The arrival of Thackeray and other MVA leaders, including Vinayak Raut, MLA Vaibhav Naik and NCP(SP) State President Jayant Patil, further intensified the situation. The police had to intervene to prevent the situation from spiralling out of control, separating the rival groups before violence could break out.
Narayan Rane, visibly angered by the confrontation, took a defiant stance. “We are in our own territory. If outsiders try to impose their will here, we will not back down. They can do whatever they want, even fire bullets, but we won’t move."
Thackeray, addressing the media after the altercation, criticised the BJP, accusing them of mismanagement and corruption in the installation. “It’s unfortunate and childish. We are at a fort dedicated to Shivaji Maharaj, and yet politics is being played. The intelligence of these leaders is as small as their height," he remarked, drawing further ire from the Rane camp.
The police made concerted efforts to keep the peace, while Thackeray and his MVA colleagues continued their inspection of the fort in a show of resolve.
Both the MVA and the Mahayuti are vying for public support amid the ongoing controversy. The collapse of the statue has not only become a symbol of government failure, but also a flashpoint for broader political battles in the state just before the assembly polls.
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