Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray shared a dais and emphasised unity.
The cousins said seat-sharing had been finalised but did not divulge details.
Eknath Shinde has a formidable challenge in front of Sena-MNS alliance.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on Wednesday formally announced their alliance ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. In a joint press conference at Mumbai, both leaders Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray emphasised unity, saying that no past rift mattered more than Maharashtra and the cause of the Marathi Manoos.
However, translating this reunion into an electoral victory in the BMC remains a steep challenge, with Eknath Shinde emerging as the alliance’s first and most formidable obstacle.
On December 24, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray conducted a press conference in Worli, Mumbai. In this brief 15-minute press conference powered with performative optics, Uddhav Thackeray seemed comfortable and addressed the press first, however Raj Thackeray’s body language appeared relatively reluctant.
Members of both political families, including the next generation-Aaditya Thackeray and Amit Thackeray along with senior leaders from Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS, and party workers were in attendance. Initially, only two chairs had been placed on the dais for Raj and Uddhav Thackeray, but Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut was later seated on the stage as well.
As the alliance was formally announced, party workers broke into celebration, playing the dhol and dancing, turning the venue into a festive spectacle.While neither Thackeray elaborated on seat-sharing arrangements, Raj Thackeray remarked, “The issue has been resolved, but we will not disclose the details today.”
Both leaders appealed to voters by invoking the cause of the Marathi Manoos and framing the alliance as a fight to “save Mumbai from anti-Maharashtra forces,” a clear reference to the BJP and its allies. However, whether this partnership can take a concrete and effective shape beyond Mumbai remains an open question.
The BMC Arithmetic
The BMC has 227 municipal wards (constituencies) in Mumbai, out of which Shiv Sena (United) had 84 corporators and the BJP had 82 in the last BMC election in 2017. Later when Shiv Sena was split in 2022, many corporators joined Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and only 56 are left with the Shiv Sena UBT.
Eknath Shinde has a formidable challenge in front of Sena-MNS alliance, as Shinde has shown a stronger presence in local body elections. The Sena-MNS alliance will see some momentum over the Marathi linguistic narrative but their claim of 38-40 % Marathi voters isn’t sufficient to win the BMC elections, also Shinde is strong contender in this share of votes.
On the other hand, the Uddhav led Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) is almost broken in Mumbai, as Congress is contesting the BMC elections independently. NCP (SP) though not too significant in Mumbai is yet to come up with its electoral agenda. The 18 % Muslim-Dalit vote that Shiv Sena (UBT) enjoyed in Lok Sabha 2024 could be cut in Mumbai by the Congress.
Shiv Sena (UBT) will likely form a post-poll alliance with the Congress in Mumbai, eyeing on 40% Marathi votes and the non-Marathi votes gained by the Congress. However the BJP has started its electoral campaign well ahead of every other party, their strategies, poaching of leaders, empowering newly entered leaders such as Tejaswi Ghosalkar - wife of Abhishek Ghosalkar, a corporator from Shiv Sena (UBT) who was killed. Tejaswi Ghosalkar was welcomed by the BJP and given all strength in terms of resources - including party office and various others in Dahisar.
The BJP has already brought the ‘No Khan can become mayor of Mumbai’ narrative in Mumbai and intensified it with more communal rhetoric.
