3 min readPuneUpdated: Jun 21, 2026 05:17 AM IST
Taking a dig at the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), Union Home Minister Amit Shah Saturday claimed the faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was now the only Shiv Sena left. The Shiv Sena (UBT) attributed Shah’s comment to his ambition to become the Prime Minister.
Speaking after performing the groundbreaking ceremony for the renovation of the Mahalaxmi Temple in Kolhapur, Shah said, “Now, there is no need to refer to it as the ‘Shinde faction’ anymore. Now, there is only one Shiv Sena left, which is led by Shiv Sena president and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.”
Shah was alluding to the split in Shiv Sena (UBT), whose six MPs have decided to join hands with the Shinde-led Sena.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shinde were also present at the event.
Reacting to Shah’s comment, Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare said, “The Home Minister has the ambition of becoming the Prime Minister. To achieve his objective, he is trying to keep Eknath Shinde in good humour and therefore making such a comment was unavoidable for him.”
Andhare said Shah wants to ensure that Devendra Fadnavis remains out of the race for the Prime Minister’s post. “And therefore through Shinde, Shah is trying to keep Fadnavis shackled in Maharashtra so as to achieve his ambition of becoming the Prime Minister,” she said.
At the ceremony, Shah further said, “The renovation work of the temple in Karveer Nagar, where Goddess Ambabai has resided for hundreds of years, is underway. This has brought great joy and devotion to the hearts of Ambabai’s devotees in Kolhapur, across Maharashtra, and throughout the country. The project will span over 28,058 square metres, and this temple, which took clear shape in the 7th century, will once again be ready with renewed vigour and energy to welcome the devotees of Ambabai.”
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The renovation work, Shah said, will be carried out in consultation with the Archaeological Department, ensuring the preservation of 41 small and large temples in the vicinity. “The entire temple premises will be secured with modern AI-enabled cameras and will also be illuminated with LED lighting.”
In his address, Fadnavis said, “The renovation and development of the ancient temple of Karveer Nivasini Mahalaxmi Ambabai has been initiated at the hands of India’s highly diligent and resolute Home Minister Amitbhai Shah.”
Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the mantra of “Vikas” and “Virasat”, Fadnavis said, “Today, the Mahalaxmi Temple stands as a symbol of our heritage and traditions. In this tradition, this temple also bestowed its blessings upon our revered Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. During times when our temples were being destroyed across India, Ahilyadevi Holkar revived them; that same tradition has been continued under the leadership of Honorable Modi. We are once again moving towards our culture.”
Fadnavis added that his government was working to ensure that the five million devotees who visit this temple annually can be served well for the next 100 years. “Just as devotees visiting Pandharpur will see a new corridor, they will receive even more blessings from Pandurang. We have also undertaken the development of all the ‘Shaktipeeths’,” the CM said.
