Mumbai: After his party’s resounding defeat in Maharashtra Assembly election, Uddhav Thackeray has focused on the BMC election. The richest municipal corporation in India could become the financial life line for the Shiv Sena (UBT). Thackeray will start to hold meetings from Thursday to review the party's situation in BMC wards. Shiv Sena (UBT) is also contemplating to go it alone in the BMC election.
Mr. Thackeray will hold meetings from December 26 to 29 on the reports submitted by the party observers. On the first day, he will hold discussions with Shakha Pramukhs and other party office bearers from Borivali, Dahisar, Magathane, Dindoshi, Charkop, Kandivali and Malad areas. On December 27, reports on areas including Anhderi (East), Andheri (West), Vile Parle, Bandra (East), Bandra (West), Chandivali, Kurla and Kalina will be discussed. The next day, Central suburbs such as Mulund, Vikhroli, Bhadhup, Mankhurd, Ghatkopar (East), Ghatkopar (West), Anushkti Nagar and Chembur will be discussed.
“On the fourth day, Mr. Thackeray will take a review of areas from south Mumbai and central Mumbai,” a Shiv Sena leader said. The areas that will be discussed on December 29 will include Colaba, Malabar Hill, Mumbadevi, Sewri, Worli, Mahim, Sion Koliwada and Dharavi.
After the Assembly election result, a section in the Shiv Sena (UBT) was of the opinion that the party should leave the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance and contest the future elections on its own. The Shiv Sena (UBT) managed to win only 20 out of nearly 100 assembly seats it contested. It won 10 Assembly seats in Mumbai.
Subsequently, the party had appointed 36 observers for Mumbai seats. “The observers have submitted their reports to the party chief, which will be discussed with the local leaders and their opinions will also be sought,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said.
The Shiv Sena, before its split, had controlled the BMC, India’s richest municipal corporation, for 25 consecutive years from 1997 to 2022. The BMC is under the control of the administrator since 2022 as the elections have not been held since then.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party contested the April-May Lok Sabha elections in alliance with Congress and Sharad Pawar’s NCP under the banner of the MVA. It contested four out of six Lok Sabha seats in the city and won three. However, it could not repeat its impressive performance in the Vidhan Sabha polls, as it won only 10 of the 24 it contested out of the total 36 seats in the city.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) is also facing the challenge of finding strong candidates for the BMC election. Some of its corporators, who had won the 2017 election, have joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. After the Assembly debacle, more former corporators are expected to join either Mr. Shinde’s party or the BJP.
