top of page

By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

The Unequal Cousins

Raj Thackeray’s ‘sacrifice’ saved Shiv Sena (UBT) but sank the MNS Mumbai: In the volatile theatre of Maharashtra politics, the long-awaited reunion of the Thackeray cousins on the campaign trail was supposed to be the masterstroke that reclaimed Mumbai. The results of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, however, tell a story of tragic asymmetry. While the alliance has successfully helped the Shiv Sena (UBT) stem the saffron tide and regain lost ground, it has left Raj...

The Unequal Cousins

Raj Thackeray’s ‘sacrifice’ saved Shiv Sena (UBT) but sank the MNS Mumbai: In the volatile theatre of Maharashtra politics, the long-awaited reunion of the Thackeray cousins on the campaign trail was supposed to be the masterstroke that reclaimed Mumbai. The results of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, however, tell a story of tragic asymmetry. While the alliance has successfully helped the Shiv Sena (UBT) stem the saffron tide and regain lost ground, it has left Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) staring at an existential crisis. The final tally reveals a brutal reality for the MNS - Raj Thackeray played the role of the savior for his cousin, but in the process, he may have become the sole loser of the 2026 mandate. The worse part is that the Shiv Sena (UBT) is reluctant to accept this and is blaming Raj for the poor performance of his party leading to the defeat. A granular analysis of the ward-wise voting patterns exposes the fundamental flaw in this tactical alliance. The vote transfer, the holy grail of any coalition, operated strictly on a one-way street. Data suggests that the traditional MNS voter—often young, aggressive, and driven by regional pride—heeded Raj Thackeray’s call and transferred their votes to Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates in wards where the MNS did not contest. This consolidation was critical in helping the UBT hold its fortresses against the BJP's "Infra Man" juggernaut. However, the favor was not returned. In seats allocated to the MNS, the traditional Shiv Sena (UBT) voter appeared hesitant to back the "Engine" (MNS symbol). Whether due to lingering historical bitterness or a lack of instructions from the local UBT leadership, the "Torch" (UBT symbol) voters did not gravitate toward Raj’s candidates. The result? The UBT survived, while the MNS candidates were left stranded. ‘Second Fiddle’ Perhaps the most poignant aspect of this election was the shift in the personal dynamic between the Thackeray brothers. Decades ago, they parted ways over a bitter dispute regarding who would control the party helm. Raj, refusing to work under Uddhav, formed the MNS to chart his own path. Yet, in 2026, the wheel seems to have come full circle. By agreeing to contest a considerably lower number of seats and focusing his energy on the broader alliance narrative, Raj Thackeray tacitly accepted the role of "second fiddle." It was a pragmatic gamble to save the "Thackeray" brand from total erasure by the BJP-Shinde combine. While the brand survived, it is Uddhav who holds the equity, while Raj has been left with the debt. Charisma as a Charity Throughout the campaign, Raj Thackeray’s rallies were, as always, electric. His fiery oratory and charismatic presence drew massive crowds, a sharp contrast to the more somber tone of the UBT leadership. Ironically, this charisma served as a force multiplier not for his own party, but for his cousin’s. Raj acted as the star campaigner who energised the anti-BJP vote bank. He successfully articulated the anger against the "Delhi-centric" politics he accuses the BJP of fostering. But when the dust settled, the seats were won by UBT candidates who rode the wave Raj helped create. The MNS chief provided the wind for the sails, but the ship that docked in the BMC was captained by Uddhav. ‘Marathi Asmita’ Stung by the results and the realisation of the unequal exchange, Raj Thackeray took to social media shortly after the counting concluded. In an emotive post, he avoided blaming the alliance partner but instead pivoted back to his ideological roots. Urging his followers to "stick to the issue of Marathi Manoos and Marathi Asmita (pride)," Raj signaled a retreat to the core identity politics that birthed the MNS. It was a somber appeal, stripped of the bravado of the campaign, hinting at a leader who knows he must now rebuild from the rubble. The 2026 BMC election will be remembered as the moment Raj Thackeray proved he could be a kingmaker, even if it meant crowning the rival he once despised. He provided the timely help that allowed the Shiv Sena (UBT) to live to fight another day. But in the ruthless arithmetic of democracy, where moral victories count for little, the MNS stands isolated—a party that gave everything to the alliance and received nothing in return. Ironically, there are people within the UBT who still don’t want to accept this and on the contrary blame Raj Thackeray for dismal performance of the MNS, which they argue, derailed the UBT arithmetic. They state that had the MNS performed any better, the results would have been much better for the UBT.

Highly qualified aspirants waiting for debut

Anushaktinagar

Yajnavalkya Jichkar Dr. Babasaheb Deshmukh


Mumbai: The upcoming Assembly elections are likely to witness fiery battles between several aspirants who are aiming at plunging into active politics in Maharashtra for the first time. The list of debut candidates in fray is long, but what is more interesting is that most of them are highly qualified and many of them have strong political backgrounds.


One can’t resist from looking at battleground Anushaktinagar which is a part of the Mumbai South Central constituency along with five other Vidhan Sabha segments. The constituency will see a mega fight between two new faces - Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar)’s Fahad Ahmed and Nawab Malik’s daughter Sana Malik from Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Both Sana and Fahad are highly qualified individuals. While Sana Malik has an LLB degree from Mumbai University, she also is an architect. Fahad Ahmed who is the husband of actress Swara Bhaskar is a PhD from TISS and he had led the anti-CAA agitation in TISS when he was there.


Another highly educated name that deserves attention is that of Late Ganpatrao Deshmukh’s grandson Dr. Babasaheb Deshmukh who will contest elections from Sangola on the ticket of Peasants and Workers Party. Deshmukh is MD, General Medicine from DY Patil Medical College of Kolhapur.


Yajnavalkya Jichkar, son of Former MLA Shrikant Jichkar who will fight the elections independently from Katol seat has a quite relevant educational background. He has a MA in Public Administration from IGNOU. Both are aiming to achieve a political debut through Assembly polls.


In Mahim, which is one of the most crucial seats, MNS supremo Raj Thackeray’s son Amit Thackeray holds a Masters’ degree in management Studies from Welingkar College of Mumbai. There are a few more fresh faces who flaunt international educational qualifications. For example, Amar Patil of Shiv Sena (UBT) who will fight it out from Solapur south holds a PHD in Business Economics from UK board. He is the son of former MLA Ratikant Patil. Varun Sardesai of the Shiv Sena UBT holds an MS degree in construction engineering and management from Columbia University of USA. He is Uddhav Thackeray’s nephew.


The list of fresh faces is long, and other candidates, if not highly qualified, at least have basic graduate degrees from reputed institutions across India. Almost all of them are jumping into the battleground with a strong political dynasty behind. With support comes additional pressure to maintain the position and successfully take the legacy forward.

Comments

bottom of page