Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Company (BMC) polls turned a litmus check for Uddhav Thackeray and his get together Shiv Sena (UBT), which suffered its worst defeat within the 2024 Maharashtra elections by successful solely 20 out of 288 seats, because the undivided Shiv Sena held energy within the metropolis authorities for 25 consecutive years.
Hoping to consolidate Marathi voters within the metropolis, Uddhav joined forces together with his as soon as estranged cousin Raj Thackeray and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). With the outcomes of Thursday’s BMC polls introduced on Friday, it was clear that the alliance had not achieved a lot. Whereas the Shiv Sena (UBT) secured 65 seats, the MNS received six seats, nicely under the bulk within the 227-member company.
Chatting with the media on Saturday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut stated, “Regardless of having no sources and no odds of successful, we fought a great battle. We anticipated MNS to win at the very least 20 seats. We thought we might win 10-15 extra seats, which is okay.”
“Our opposition throughout the BMC is robust, as is the Congress. And now there isn’t any query of leaving the MNS alliance,” he added.
Raj Thackeray wrote on his social media web page, “…we’ve not been in a position to obtain the success we had hoped for, however that won’t allow us to down. Our battle is for Marathi Manu – our language, our tradition and the state of Maharashtra. That is our pleasure and our being and we all know {that a} battle like this implies so much…”
Political analyst Abhay Deshpande stated: the print The outcomes have been as anticipated, and maybe extra integration of Marathi than anticipated occurred. Nevertheless, whereas Uddhav Thackeray succeeded in attracting anti-BJP and non-Marathi votes as nicely, Raj Thackeray was unable to take action.
He stated, “His strike fee was increased than Raj Thackeray’s as Uddhav received Marathi and non-Marathi votes however not for MNS.”
This underlines that the Thackeray household can not rely solely on ‘Marathi Manu’ as Mumbai’s demographics change.
“Marathi sentiment is certainly there. There isn’t any getting away from it. However Marathi sentiment alone shouldn’t be sufficient to come back to energy,” Deshpande stated. “They should broaden the sector in any other case it will likely be not possible to cross the midway mark. The one means to do this is to return to the unique Uddhav Thackeray marketing campaign.I’m a Mumbaikar”
The consolidation of Marathi votes in areas like Dadar, Mahim, Vikhroli, Sewri and Worli gave Thackeray a much-needed enhance. Nevertheless, Muslim-majority areas resembling Govandi, Bykulla, Kurla, Manhad, Jogeshwari, Malad and Mumbadevi noticed fragmentation of votes, in contrast to within the Meeting and Meeting polls, the place the bulk supported Uddhav.
One of many predominant causes for this was the presence of Raj Thackeray within the alliance and the absence of the Congress.
This time, Muslims additionally voted for events resembling AIMIM, which did higher than the MNS and received eight seats in Mumbai.
Deshpande stated that even when Muslims help Uddhav within the presence of Raj Thackeray – as seen in some seats received by the Shiv Sena (UBT) – they are going to most likely discover different choices.
Nevertheless, the alliance appears to have labored moderately nicely for the weakened Shiv Sena (UBT). In 2017, the undivided Shiv Sena received 84 seats. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has carried out admirably this time, regardless of the defection of most of its former company members.
Whereas Uddhav Thackeray has repeatedly stated that the cousins have come collectively to remain collectively, Raj Thackeray has to date averted giving related assurances. For Uddhav, the choice of becoming a member of arms with the Congress stays open after the polls, however the Congress is unlikely to simply accept the Raj as a part of such an alliance.
For Uddhav’s get together, which had been dropping company seats to Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena even earlier than the elections, uniting his members might be essential.
The BMC ballot outcomes present that Mr Thackeray nonetheless retains vital management in Mumbai, a metropolis that was as soon as thought of on the “beck and name” of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. On the identical time, the outcomes highlighted the necessity to look past Marathi manu.
Because the Maha Vikas Aghadi Social gathering (MVA) was dissolved and Mr. Uddhav determined to ally with the Raj Social gathering whereas breaking with the Congress, the Congress has tied up with the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi Social gathering (VBA), additional lowering the opposition vote.
“If the Congress had gone with Uddhav Thackeray, it might have been a bonus. If all three events, together with the MNS, had come collectively, it might have been a powerful mixture. However leaving the Congress for the MNS was an enormous flop for the Shiv Sena (UBT),” Deshpande stated.
Within the coming days, “it will likely be a problem for Uddhav Thackeray to maintain his pack collectively. Maintaining the Marathi alliance intact and increasing his political sphere might be equally troublesome,” Deshpande added. “He fought nicely in Mumbai however was worn out in the remainder of Maharashtra.”
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
Additionally learn: New Bharatiya Janata Social gathering chief in Mumbai says Uddhav-Raj reunion could have no influence, reveals BMC ballot technique
