While the assembly results saw the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which includes Sena UBT, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) and Congress, suffer a major defeat, Thackeray is determined to leave the past behind and reclaim the Sena’s stronghold in Mumbai.
A growing sentiment among party leaders and grassroots workers is that the Shiv Sena UBT should contest the BMC elections independently, breaking away from the MVA, particularly the Congress, to preserve its identity and assert its strength.
Over the past month, Thackeray has been conducting detailed reviews of the party’s organisational structure across Mumbai. He has held multiple meetings with branch heads, sub-divisional leaders, and assembly organisers to assess the party’s readiness.
Feedback collected by party observers, who were deployed to monitor the city’s constituencies, highlights a clear demand for contesting the elections on the party’s own terms. Many believe the friction between the Congress and Sena UBT during the assembly polls over seat-sharing left a sour taste, prompting workers to advocate for a standalone approach.
Thackeray’s rigorous reviews include a ward-wise analysis of voter sentiments and the party’s strength. Meetings held at Matoshree have revealed a strong push from local leaders to fight independently. They argue that an alliance risks diluting the Sena’s core identity, which has been synonymous with Mumbai’s political landscape for decades.
Despite this growing consensus, the final decision lies with Thackeray, who is carefully weighing all options. He is set to conclude reviews of six south Mumbai constituencies, a critical step towards finalising the party’s strategy, on Friday.
As the battle for Mumbai’s civic body intensifies, all major parties are gearing up for what promises to be a high-stakes election. For the Shiv Sena (UBT), the BMC elections are not just about political power, but also about reasserting the party’s dominance in the city. Whether the decision is to go solo or remain part of the alliance, the Shiv Sena under Uddhav Thackeray is preparing to fight with full force, determined to make its mark in what is being seen as a defining moment for the party’s future.
