India, Feb. 6 -- In a striking local-level political realignment, rival factions of the Shiv Sena-led by Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray-have come together to form a joint front in Barshi taluka of Solapur district, alongside both factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), ahead of the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.

Elections to 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis across Maharashtra are scheduled to be held on February 7. Despite being fierce rivals at the state level, the two Shiv Sena factions have aligned locally in Barshi, signalling the fluid nature of grassroots politics.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde campaigned for the four-party front on Wednesday, addressing a rally at Vairag in...