Uddhav Thackeray To Ditch Congress After Maharashtra Defeat? What Reports Say

Uddhav Thackeray faces mounting pressure from Shiv Sena (UBT) members to break away from the MVA alliance after the Maharashtra election defeat.

Uddhav Thackeray and Rahul Gandhi during Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA)'s rally (ANI photo)

New Delhi: Five days after the devasting defeat of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra Assembly elections, murmurs are rising from within the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction of breaking away from the grand old party and going solo. 

The Indian Express has learnt that a majority of the 20 Sena (UBT) MLAs reportedly pushed for this during a meeting convened by Thackeray on Monday. Express’ sources further said that the Sena's (UBT) grassroots workers, who were overshadowed by Eknath Shinde's faction winning 57 seats in the Assembly elections, are now questioning how effective the MVA alliance has been. 

However, the Indian Express’s sources indicated that Uddhav Thackeray, along with senior leaders Aaditya Thackeray and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, are determined to keep the alliance intact to project a unified opposition against the BJP. 

Commenting on the rising discontent within the party over the MVA alliance, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve acknowledged that a section of workers feels the party should contest the future polls alone. 

Smaller factions within the Shiv Sena (UBT) have occasionally voiced intentions of going solo, but these calls have resurfaced more prominently after the party’s humiliating defeat under the MVA coalition comprising Congress and the NCP (SP).  

"There is a feeling among a large section of the party to contest the elections independently. It is immaterial whether Shiv Sena (UBT) gets power or not. The party was not born to seize power. It is a party that works on an ideology," said Danve, who is the Leader of Opposition in the legislative council, reported PTI. 

Responding to Danve’s statement, State Congress president Nana Patole said that everyone has the right to express their views. 

Meanwhile, Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, who previously served as Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, acknowledged that Congress leaders, much like their Sena (UBT) counterparts, are also in favour of contesting elections independently. 

"But that cannot be the decision of the party. We are in the process of analysing the result and causes of our defeat,” he added. 

Since 2022, when Eknath Shinde took off with most of the MLAs and divided the Shiv Sena into two, Uddhav Thackeray has been criticised for straying from Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology by aligning with Congress. Balasaheb's Shiv Sena was firmly rooted in Hindutva and Marathi pride. Experts suggest that Uddhav's coalition with Congress and the NCP gave Eknath Shinde and the BJP an opportunity to strengthen their hold on the Hindu voter base. 

Earlier this week, NCP chief whip Anil Patil claimed that there is growing unrest within the MVA camp, with five to six MLAs potentially considering a switch to the ruling Mahayuti alliance. “The MVA MLAs feel their future is uncertain. It shouldn’t be a surprise if five to six MLAs cross over to the Mahayuti in the next four months,” PTI quoted Patil as saying.

In the Maharashtra assembly poll results announced on Saturday, the BJP secured 132 seats, while its allies, Shiv Sena and NCP, won 57 and 41 seats, respectively.

On the MVA side, Shiv Sena (UBT) claimed 20 seats, Congress secured 16, and NCP (SP) managed 10 seats.