- By Talibuddin Khan
- Wed, 17 Jun 2026 04:05 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Political temperatures are running high in both West Bengal and Maharashtra. In Bengal, an intensifying internal tussle within the All India Trinamool Congress has triggered a fresh wave of political uncertainty, with rebels moving to other parties. Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) is once again facing challenges amid an evolving power struggle.
The developments have revived a familiar question in political circles: Are the TMC and Shiv Sena heading down the same path as several major Indian parties that were eventually split by internal rebellions and leadership battles?
India's Long History of Political Splits
Party divisions are not new to Indian politics. Over the past five decades, several major political breakups have altered not only the fortunes of individual parties but also the broader direction of Indian politics. Many of today's prominent political parties emerged from such splits.
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1969: The Historic Congress Split
One of the most significant political divisions in India's post-Independence history came in 1969, when differences between then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the Congress old guard, popularly known as the "Syndicate," reached a breaking point.
The dispute surfaced during the presidential election following the death of Zakir Husain. While Indira Gandhi backed independent candidate VV Giri, the party organisation supported Neelam Sanjiva Reddy.
The confrontation led to the Congress splitting into two factions, Congress (Organisation) and Congress (Requisitionists). Indira Gandhi's faction, however, emerged as the dominant force, securing a landslide victory in the 1971 Lok Sabha elections. The Syndicate gradually lost relevance and later merged into the Janata movement.
The Rise and Fall of the Janata Party
The Janata Party was formed in 1977 by several opposition groups united against Indira Gandhi after the Emergency. However, ideological differences and leadership rivalries soon surfaced. By 1979, a major dispute erupted over the "dual membership" issue involving former Jana Sangh leaders and their links with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The conflict fractured the Janata Party, leading to the collapse of the government headed by Morarji Desai. From this political breakup emerged the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980.
The Fragmentation of Janata Dal
As the dominance of national parties weakened during the 1980s and 1990s, regional forces gained strength across India. This period saw the emergence of parties such as the Telugu Desam Party, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party.
The Janata Dal also underwent multiple splits, giving birth to parties including the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Janata Dal (United), Biju Janata Dal and Lok Janshakti Party.
1999: Formation of the NCP
The Congress suffered another major setback in 1999 when senior leaders raised concerns over the foreign origin of Sonia Gandhi. Veteran leaders Sharad Pawar, PA Sangma and Tariq Anwar quit the Congress and formed the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
AIADMK's Succession Battle
Following the death of Jayalalithaa in December 2016, a fierce succession struggle broke out within the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). One camp was led by VK Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran, while another was headed by O Panneerselvam. Later, Edappadi K Palaniswami also emerged as a key player in the power struggle.
The dispute eventually reached the Election Commission, which froze the party's iconic "Two Leaves" symbol in 2017. After a prolonged legal and political battle, the EPS-OPS faction retained control of the party name and symbol, while Dhinakaran launched a separate political outfit.
Samajwadi Party's Family Feud
Ahead of the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party witnessed a dramatic power struggle between founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh Yadav. The dispute centred on ticket distribution and control over the organisation.
The Election Commission eventually recognised Akhilesh Yadav's faction as the legitimate Samajwadi Party and allotted it the party's iconic "Cycle" symbol. Mulayam Singh later accepted his son's leadership, bringing the public feud to an end.
The LJP Split
After the death of Ram Vilas Paswan in 2020, a leadership battle erupted within the Lok Janshakti Party. In 2021, five of the party's six MPs rebelled against Chirag Paswan and backed his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras. The Election Commission froze the party symbol and recognised both factions separately. Chirag later secured a distinct political identity under the banner of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).
Shiv Sena's Dramatic Split
The division within the Shiv Sena is widely regarded as one of the biggest political upheavals in recent years. In June 2022, senior party leader and close confidante of Uddhav Thackeray, Eknath Shinde, led a rebellion against party chief Uddhav Thackeray. Most of the party's legislators and several MPs sided with Shinde, resulting in the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
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In February 2023, the Election Commission recognised the Shinde faction as the "real" Shiv Sena and awarded it the party's traditional bow-and-arrow symbol. Uddhav Thackeray's camp was renamed Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and received a new election symbol.
NCP's Second Major Split
Maharashtra witnessed another major political rupture in July 2023 when Ajit Pawar rebelled against his uncle Sharad Pawar and joined the BJP-Shiv Sena government along with several legislators.
In February 2024, the Election Commission recognised Ajit Pawar's faction as the legitimate NCP and allotted it the party's clock symbol. Sharad Pawar's camp subsequently began operating under the name Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar).
Why Do Political Parties Split?
Several factors have repeatedly triggered party breakups in India:
- Leadership rivalries and succession battles
- Ideological differences within the party
- Regional aspirations and local political demands
- Personal ambitions and power struggles
- Opposition to decisions taken by central leadership
- Electoral calculations and alliance compulsions
What Challenge Does TMC Face Now?
For the TMC, the immediate challenge is maintaining organisational unity and internal discipline. If the ongoing rebellion expands and rival groups begin claiming to be the "real" TMC, the dispute could eventually move beyond political rhetoric and reach the Election Commission.
In fact, the rebellion has already reached Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, with the 20 rebel MPs, led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, seeking a separate seating in Lok Sabha. They have also officially joined an obscure Tripura-based party, the Nationalist Citizen Party of India (NCPI), and extended support to the ruling NDA government.
Speaker Om Birla is reviewing the status of the 20 rebel MPs and will make a decision after hearing both factions. Birla has also called upon the TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee for a discussion on June 19 regarding the 20 rebel MPs and his stance on the matter.
Indian political history shows that many of the country's most dramatic party splits were ultimately settled through legal and electoral battles rather than within party forums.
How Party Splits Have Redrawn India's Political Map
India's political journey since Independence has been shaped not only by the rise of powerful parties but also by their divisions, mergers and reinventions. Leadership contests, ideological disagreements, regional aspirations and struggles for power have repeatedly reshaped the country's political landscape.
Many of today's influential political parties are products of earlier splits. In several cases, the breakaway faction went on to become stronger than the original organisation, permanently altering the balance of power in both state and national politics.