BJP leader Chandrakant Patil speaking to ABP News expressed that if Uddhav Thackeray wants to come back to the fold, they can welcome him. After the Maharashtra assembly results became clear, with BJP being the single largest party in the state, Chandrakant Patil stated, "Uddhav Thackeray is welcome. We will be happy if he joins us."
Ahead of the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena contested under the Mahayuti Alliance. As part of their pre-poll agreement, the BJP contested 152 assembly seats, while the Shiv Sena fielded candidates in 124 constituencies.
However, following the 2019 election results, a political crisis erupted between the BJP and Shiv Sena over a disagreement on their power-sharing arrangement. The Shiv Sena demanded a rotational Chief Ministership, proposing that each party hold the position for 2.5 years. The BJP, however, rejected the proposal, leading to the collapse of their alliance and significant political turbulence in Maharashtra. Ultimately after a slew of events, Shiv Sena of Uddhav Thackeray in agreement with NCP-Congress took oath as chief minister.
The internal rift within the Shiv Sena surfaced on June 10, 2022, when the BJP won three out of six Rajya Sabha seats despite the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance's majority. Tensions further escalated on June 20, when the BJP secured all five seats it contested in the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections. Reports of cross-voting by several Shiv Sena members highlighted growing divisions within the party.
Following the MLC results, senior Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, along with 11 MLAs, moved to Surat, Gujarat, sparking speculation of a major split. By June 22, Shinde claimed the support of 40 MLAs.
Shinde issued an ultimatum to Uddhav Thackeray, demanding a breakup with the MVA alliance and a return to the BJP. Despite Thackeray's attempts at reconciliation, including an offer to step down as Chief Minister, Shinde refused to relent. On June 23, Shinde and 37 rebel MLAs declared him the leader of the Shiv Sena legislature party, further cementing his position.
Ultimately, the number of rebel MLAs grew to 46, paving the way for Shinde to challenge Thackeray's leadership and realign with the BJP.