The Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) alliance suffered a crushing defeat in the BEST Employees Cooperative Credit Society election on August 18, 2025, failing to secure a single seat out of the 21-member panel. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hailed the result as a rejection of the "Thackeray brand," signaling a significant blow to the ambitions of cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray ahead of crucial local body elections, including the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls.
The election, seen as a litmus test for the newly formed Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance under the 'Utkarsh' panel, saw the rival panel led by BJP member Shashank Rao dominate with 14 seats. Suhas Samant, president of the BEST Kamgar Sena aligned with Sena (UBT), expressed shock at the "unbelievable" loss, alleging that money influenced the outcome. MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande had earlier claimed that voters received cash bribes, including envelopes with Rs 500 notes, and vowed to file a complaint with the election officer.
BJP leaders seized the opportunity to mock the Thackeray cousins. MLC Prasad Lad, who backed the 'Sahakar Samruddhi' panel, declared on X that the "Thackeray brand turned out to be zero," emphasizing the alliance’s failure to resonate with BEST’s 15,000-member electorate. Maharashtra BJP chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye echoed this, stating, “The Marathi people of Mumbai are aligning with the BJP’s development agenda, not the Thackerays’ politics of sentiment.” He pointed out that the cooperative, long controlled by Sena (UBT), slipped entirely from their grasp despite MNS support.
Also Read: Sena (UBT)-MNS Alliance Looms for Maharashtra Civic Polls
Mumbai BJP head Ashish Shelar called the victory a “good omen” for the party, asserting that BEST workers rejected Sena (UBT)’s “anti-worker” policies in favor of the BJP’s vision. “Mumbaikars are with us, and Mumbai is ours,” Shelar posted on social media, dismissing allegations of vote theft and celebrating the ballot-based election’s transparency. He credited Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and himself for consistent support to BEST employees, framing the win as a mandate for the BJP’s governance.
The election, contested by five panels, including one backed by Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction, was marred by controversy. Allegations of financial irregularities surfaced days before the polls, with the Economic Offences Wing probing a Rs 12.41-crore Lonavala property deal linked to the Sena (UBT)-controlled society. Samant dismissed these as a BJP-orchestrated ploy to sway voters, noting the society’s recent ‘A’ grade in a government audit.
With an 83.69% voter turnout, the election underscored the political stakes, as the BEST cooperative, with a Rs 1,000 crore turnover, holds sway among Mumbai’s civic transport workers. The defeat raises questions about the viability of a broader Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance, especially after their poor showing in the 2024 assembly elections, where Sena (UBT) won 20 seats and MNS drew a blank. As the BMC polls loom, the BJP’s triumph signals a shifting tide in Mumbai’s political landscape.
Also Read: Thackeray Accuses BJP of Undermining Mumbai