Uddhav Thackeray proves he’s more than just his father’s son

MUMBAI: With his Shiv Sena (UBT) winning 9 of the 21 Maharashtra Lok Sabha seats it contested as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, the results are a mixed bag for Uddhav Thackeray, who has lost the official party name and symbol to the rival Eknath Shinde-led formation.
Thackeray had built a narrative of betrayal around the ‘mashaal’ or flaming torch (his symbol), ever since Shinde mobilised a majority of Sena MPs and MLAs to ally with BJP two years ago.Sena (UBT) has won two seats more than the Shinde-led party and seven of 13 in which it was pitted against the latter. In Mumbai, where the party was founded, Sena (UBT) won three of the four seats it contested. But it has lost in Konkan, which was another of its strongholds.
“I had expected we would win more seats. We have certain suspicions…in Mumbai North West, we will challenge the election of Ravindra Waikar. We have lost the seat in Konkan, this is a surprise but we will see why this happened,” Uddhav said.
The results mean redemption for Thackeray, who recast a party founded on hardline Hindutva ideals to make common cause with Congress and NCP. Shinde’s charge that the Thackerays reneged on party founder Balasaheb’s core values haven’t stuck. The outcome is also significant because Sena (UBT) held on despite snapping ties with BJP, which was seen as the dominant partner in Lok Sabha campaigns. Thackeray is now in a position to be the opposition’s CM face for the Maharashtra assembly polls in October
“Sena’s core Marathi voters have stayed with Thackeray and he has managed to add Muslim and Dalit voters. This makes him the most acceptable face for assembly polls,” said an observer. The Lok Sabha results also show vote transfer can take place among MVA allies. With the state showing strong anti-incumbency amid a farm crisis and anxiety about jobs and price rise, Thackeray will be in mission mode for the assembly polls.
Sena (UBT) functionaries also expect many workers and mid-level office bearers from the Shinde group to return. While Thackeray has said that his doors are shut for defector MLAs and MPs, he may take back mid-level functionaries and grassroots workers. “Uddhav may go on an overdrive to woo former corporators and shakha-level workers even if MLAs and MPs aren’t taken back,” said an observer. Come Oct, Sena (UBT) would also eye a big chunk of assembly seats within MVA.