In the aftermath of a disappointing performance in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Shiv Sena (UBT) held a crucial meeting with its MLAs to decide the future course of action. During the meeting, all party MLAs unanimously chose Aditya Thackeray as the leader of both legislative houses. Additionally, Bhaskar Jadhav was appointed as the party leader, and Sunil was named the Chief Whip.
Aditya Thackeray’s Victory Amidst Party’s Setback
Despite the overall poor performance of the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction, Aditya Thackeray managed to secure a significant victory from the Worli constituency. He won by a margin of 8,000 votes, garnering 60,606 votes and defeating Milind Deora, a senior leader from the Eknath Shinde faction and a Rajya Sabha MP.
Efforts to Reunite the Party Post Defeat
Uddhav Thackeray faced a humiliating loss in the assembly elections, with his faction securing only 20 seats compared to the 56 seats won in the 2019 elections. In his response to the party’s poor performance, Uddhav expressed his dismay, saying,
“I fail to understand how the voters who rejected the BJP-led alliance in the Lok Sabha elections just five months ago suddenly changed their minds.”
Growing Pressure on Uddhav Thackeray
The crushing defeat has significantly impacted Uddhav’s leadership, with the party losing not just seats but also its symbol and credibility among voters. Adding to the pressure, Eknath Shinde, now a major political rival, claimed that several UBT MLAs were in touch with his faction and expressed interest in joining them.
The Road Ahead for Shiv Sena (UBT)
Aditya Thackeray’s new role as the leader of both legislative houses is seen as a move to rejuvenate the party and consolidate its position. However, the challenge remains steep, with Uddhav Thackeray facing both internal dissent and external threats to his leadership.
The coming days will determine whether this leadership shuffle can revive the party’s fortunes or if the factionalism within the Shiv Sena will further weaken UBT’s political standing.
