Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra politician Eknath Shinde is at the centre of the Shiv Sena dispute as the Supreme Court calls defection a 'constitutional sin' and says the Election Commission can assign separate symbols to rival factions. Shinde's lawyers have argued their case over the party and its symbol in court, while the Deputy Chief Minister also criticised opposition INDIA alliance protests and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Maharashtra's Mahavikas Aghadi is in the news amid the state's MLC elections, where the ruling Mahayuti alliance is showing internal friction. Reports say Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena has fielded candidates against the BJP in the legislative council polls, sparking a sharp contest between the two coalition partners, while the opposition alliance watches the rift closely.