Shiv Sena (IAST: Śhiva Sēnā) () is a right-wing to far-right Marathi regionalist and Hindu ultranationalist political party in India founded in 1966 by Bal Thackeray. The party split in 2022 into Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena but was regained by Eknath Shinde led Faction. The party emerged from Pro Marathi nativist movement in Bombay (present-day Mumbai), the party agitated for preferential treatment for the Marathi people over migrants from other parts of India. It ran strong movement against Gujrati and South Indian people who was living in then Bombay, alleging they do not respect Marathi people and their culture, it ran anti-migrant agenda. Shiva Sena's election symbol is the Bow and Arrow. it use Saffron colour in its flag and a image of a roaring tiger. From 1966 to 2022 the party was ruled by Thackeray political family. Although the party's primary base always remained in Maharashtra, it tried to expand to a pan-Indian base. In the 1970s, it gradually moved from advocating a pro-Marathi ideology to one supporting a broader Hindu nationalist agenda, and aligned itself with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The party took part in Mumbai (BMC) municipal elections for its entire existence. In 1989, it entered into an alliance with the BJP for Lok Sabha as well as Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections. The alliance in the latter was temporarily broken in the 2014 elections, although it was quickly reformed. Shiv Sena was a coalition partner in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) from 1998 until 2019, including the Vajpayee Government from 1998 to 2004 and the Narendra Modi Government from 2014 to 2019. Shiv Sena has undergone ideological shifts since its formation, starting with Marathi regionalism and gradually moving towards ultranationalism and right-wing populism. Under Uddhav Thackeray, the party shifted towards secularism, composite nationalism and formed an alliance with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party, a significant departure from its traditional stance. This led to split and subsequent legal battle between the two factions, which resulted into Chief minister Eknath Shinde taking control of the party. On 21 February 2023, Shiv Sena declared Eknath Shinde as its chief leader. Allegedly the party had a powerful hold over the Hindi film industry. It has been alleged as an "extremist", "chauvinist", or "fascist" party. Shiv Sena has been allegedly blamed for the 1970 communal violence in Bhiwandi, the 1984 Bhiwandi riot, and violence