Uddhav Blames MVA’s Poll Rout on Ego Clashes, Seat-Sharing Delays
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief questions alliance’s unity
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has criticized the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, attributing its crushing defeat in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections to delayed seat-sharing agreements and internal rivalries driven by “individual egos.” In an interview with Saamana, the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece, Thackeray warned that repeating such mistakes could render the alliance—comprising his party, Congress, and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar)—pointless.
Thackeray highlighted how the MVA’s success in securing 30 of 48 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections created overconfidence, which turned into party-wise competition during the Assembly polls. “The seat-sharing parleys dragged on till the last minute, sending the wrong message to voters,” he said, noting that squabbles over constituencies like Versova, Byculla, and Dharavi, where both Congress and Sena (UBT) fielded candidates, confused supporters. He also lamented conceding winnable seats to allies, a decision that backfired as MVA candidates were not finalized in several constituencies.
The former chief minister pointed to external factors like the Mahayuti’s populist schemes, such as the Ladki Bahin cash transfer program, and alleged irregularities, including “EVM scams” and inflated voter lists, which he claimed tilted the November 20, 2024, elections. The BJP-led Mahayuti coalition, comprising Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, secured a landslide 235 seats, with BJP winning 132, Shinde’s Sena 57, and NCP 41. In contrast, MVA’s tally plummeted to 46 seats—Congress with 16, Sena (UBT) 20, and NCP (SP) 10—failing to secure the opposition leader post.
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Thackeray stressed the need for introspection, urging MVA partners to avoid “shying away from mistakes.” Despite his push for Uddhav as the CM candidate, Congress and NCP (SP) resisted naming a leader, further weakening the campaign, sources said. Sanjay Raut, Saamana’s executive editor, echoed Thackeray’s concerns, alleging Mahayuti’s voter manipulation, a claim dismissed by BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis, sworn in as CM on December 5, 2024.
