Meenakshi Shinde quits as Thane Shiv Sena women's wing chief, cites allegations against her

Meenakshi Rajendra Shinde, Thane district chief of the Shiv Sena women's wing (Mahila Aghadi), has resigned from her post. She submitted her resignation to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde. In it she referred to the allegations against her and said attempts were being made to put pressure on the party leadership.

In the letter, dated October 29, 2026, Meenakshi Shinde wrote that allegations and counter-allegations were flying on social media and in political circles, which had caused her considerable pain. She said some people were linking her name to matters she had nothing to do with.

She claimed that all political parties were coming together to level allegations against her. She expressed anguish that a conspiracy was being hatched to corner the party leadership. She named Eknath Shinde in that leadership as the party's chief leader and guardian minister.

Meenakshi Shinde said she had worked for the party with complete loyalty and had never taken any step that would bring disrepute to the organisation or its leadership.

Explaining her reason for resigning, she wrote that she could not even think of the leadership's or the party's image suffering because of her. According to her, the resignation is not out of any displeasure but to uphold respect for the leadership and protect the party's image. At the end of the letter she expressed the hope that Eknath Shinde would understand her feelings and her stand on the allegations.

The letter does not say exactly what allegations have been made against her. Nor does it say whom she accuses of trying to pressure the party leadership.

Meanwhile, Anand Dubey joined Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction last week, a few days after leaving the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray, according to an official statement. Eknath Shinde, the party's chief leader, was present at the event in Thane. With him were Rahul Kanal, the Shiv Sena's state chief for social media and general secretary of the Yuva Sena, and other office-bearers.

Several others, including Gulabchand Maurya, Sunil Chaubey, Brijesh Maurya, Dasharath Prajapati, Praveen Dubey and Dhananjay Gupta, also joined the party along with Anand Dubey.

According to the statement issued by Shinde's office, welcoming Dubey, Eknath Shinde said he had watched Dubey work for the Shiv Sena for many years, including as national spokesperson. Shinde said Dubey is familiar with the party's workings and has been in touch with Rahul Kanal. Shinde described the Shiv Sena as a party of workers and said there is no owner in it; everyone works as a party worker.

Shinde also said Dubey had adopted the principle of "nation first", which he described as the stand associated with the late Balasaheb Thackeray and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the new entrants had been impressed by the work done by his government. Citing his two and a half years as Chief Minister, he said many welfare schemes were launched and infrastructure projects completed during that time. He also credited Modi with supporting Maharashtra's development.

Shinde said Dubey and his team would work to expand the Shiv Sena's reach in Uttar Pradesh.