The Senas fight it out in Konkan

The Konkan region of Maharashtra is known for its picturesque beaches, hill forts, sea forts, lush green environs, food and quiet locations - but when it comes to political supremacy, the battle could be fierce.

The Konkan region has already started experiencing it in the wake of the split in the 56-year-old Shiv Sena.

The coastal Konkan region comprises the twin districts of Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban, the neighbouring districts of Thane, Palghar and Raigad besides Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg.

It’s crucial for both - Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde, who now control the two parallel factions of the saffron party.

Also Read: Shiv Sena founded by my father not EC's father: Uddhav Thackeray

While Thackeray addressed a public rally on March 5 at Khed in Ratnagiri district, Shinde would follow suit on March 21.

The three districts of Konkan belt Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg - with Arabian Sea on one side and the Sahyadri mountain ranges on the other, is often known for what is described as “money-order economy” - as large number of people form the region stay and work in the Mumbai-MMR.

“The Konkan region traditionally has been the bastion of the Shiv Sena and Balasaheb Thackeray used to have a connection with the people here. And Uddhav rightly chose to start from Konkan after having lost the party’s name and traditional bow-and-arrow symbol,” says veteran political analyst Prakash Akolkar.

The Konkan region including Mumbai-MMR has 12 Lok Sabha and over 70 Vidhan Sabha seats and the performance of any political party - and one-fourth of the seats of the law-making bodies fall in the region.

After the split the Uddhav-group has weakened as several leaders have switched to the Shinde faction, the Maharashtra chief minister and chief leader of Shiv Sena. These include former leader of the opposition Ramdas Kadam and his son Yogesh Kadam, Bharat Gogawale, who is the chief whip, and Uday Samant and Deepak Kesarkar, the two ministers of Shinde’s team.

Uddhav’s arch rival - union minister Narayan Rane and his two sons Nilesh and Nitesh - too have a stronghold in the region.

“Uddhav did not have a party name and symbol but the crowd at the Khed rally was huge and it was only because of the relationship of the Thackerays with the region,” a senior functionary of the Uddhav-group said.