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By:

Akhilesh Sinha

25 June 2025 at 2:53:54 pm

Congress tries a ‘third’ hand

New Delhi: The BJP latest manoeuvre in elevating Nitin Nabin as the party’s national working president has had consequences in Maharashtra’s two biggest cities - Mumbai and Pune. The result has left the Congress party in a curiously ambivalent mood: quietly pleased by the opportunities created, yet wary of the turbulence ahead. In Maharashtra, the immediate beneficiary of the BJP’s move is Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. The BJP’s organisational signal has strengthened its hand in the forthcoming...

Congress tries a ‘third’ hand

New Delhi: The BJP latest manoeuvre in elevating Nitin Nabin as the party’s national working president has had consequences in Maharashtra’s two biggest cities - Mumbai and Pune. The result has left the Congress party in a curiously ambivalent mood: quietly pleased by the opportunities created, yet wary of the turbulence ahead. In Maharashtra, the immediate beneficiary of the BJP’s move is Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. The BJP’s organisational signal has strengthened its hand in the forthcoming elections to the BMC, Asia’s richest civic body, and in Pune, the state’s second city. For Shinde, whose legitimacy still rests on a contentious split with the party founded by Bal Thackeray, any reinforcement from the BJP’s formidable machine is welcome. For Uddhav Thackeray, who leads the rival Shiv Sena (UBT), the message is ominous. His party, once the natural custodian of Marathi pride in Mumbai, now faces the prospect of being squeezed between a BJP-backed Sena on one side and a revived Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by his cousin, Raj Thackeray, on the other. Shotgun Alliance That pressure has forced Thackeray into an awkward embrace with his estranged cousin. A reunion of the Thackeray clans, long rumoured and often aborted, has unsettled Thackeray’s MVA ally - the Congress. Signals from the party’s high command suggest a calculated distancing from Shiv Sena (UBT), particularly in Mumbai, where Congress leaders are exploring arrangements with smaller parties rather than committing to a Thackeray-led front. In Pune, the party’s pragmatism is even more pronounced. Quiet efforts are under way to entice Ajit Pawar’s NCP, currently aligned with the BJP, into a tactical understanding for the civic polls. Control of the municipal corporation, even without ideological harmony, is the immediate prize. For the embattled Congress, the civic polls offer a chance to do two things at once. First, by keeping a degree of separation from the Uddhav–Raj combine, it can strengthen its own organisational sinews, which have atrophied after years of playing junior partner. Secondly, it can allow the BJP–Shinde Sena and the Thackeray cousins to polarise the Marathi vote between them, leaving Congress to position itself as a ‘third pole.’ Such a strategy is particularly tempting in Mumbai. A tie-up with outfits like Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) could help Congress consolidate minority, Dalit and tribal voters, constituencies it believes are more reliably mobilised without the ideological baggage of Thackeray’s Sena (UBT). Severing or loosening ties with Shiv Sena (UBT) would also simplify Congress’s messaging ahead of assembly elections elsewhere. In states such as West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, where polls loom next year, the party has historically preferred alliances that allow it to emphasise secular credentials and oppose the BJP without accommodating overtly Hindu nationalist partners. Mixed Signals The Congress’ internal signals, however, are mixed. When talk of a Thackeray reunion resurfaced, Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar publicly welcomed it, arguing that Raj Thackeray’s limited but distinct vote share could help consolidate Marathi sentiment. Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad was more circumspect, hinting that alliances with parties prone to street-level militancy deserved scrutiny. Wadettiwar swiftly clarified that decisions would rest with the party’s senior leadership, underscoring the centralised nature of Congress’s calculus. In Pune, meanwhile, senior leaders are reportedly engaged in discreet conversations with Ajit Pawar, whose defection from his uncle Sharad Pawar’s NCP last year still reverberates through state politics. The outline of a broader strategy is becoming visible. Congress appears content to let the BJP and Shinde’s Sena draw on non-Marathi and anti-dynasty voters, the Thackerays appeal to wounded Marathi pride while it quietly rebuilds among minorities and lower-caste groups. Mumbai Approach Mumbai’s demography lends some plausibility to this approach. Alongside its Marathi core, the city hosts millions of migrants from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, a constituency that has increasingly gravitated towards the BJP. Raj Thackeray’s strident rhetoric against North Indians, once electorally potent, now risks narrowing his appeal and complicating Uddhav Thackeray’s efforts to broaden his base. None of this guarantees success for Congress. Playing the ‘third pole’ is a delicate art. Yet, the Congress, struggling for survival, has few illusions about sweeping victories. Its aim, for now, is more modest – it is to survive, to remain relevant, and to exploit the cracks opened by its rivals’ rivalries. In Maharashtra’s civic chessboard, that may be advantage enough.

Thackerays bank on MM formula

ree

Mumbai: The reunion of Thackery cousins- Uddhav and Raj – after a gap of 20 years is aimed at securing maximum wards dominated by Marathi speaking people (36) and Muslims (47) as well in Mumbai. These 83 wards will play a crucial role in choosing the next Mayor of the Maximum City.


Since Uddhav, the chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), has emerged as the biggest opponent of the BJP he believes that he could influence the Muslim voters and attract them from the Congress. Raj, the president Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), is an undisputed hero in the Marathi heartland. Their reunion will focus entirely on these two points.


The reunion, rich in symbolism and emotion, was touted as a coming together “for the cause of Mumbai, Marathis and Maharashtra,” signalling a dramatic reboot in state politics, causing palpitations among rival parties.


The development preceded two decades of acrid rivalry between the cousins as ties practically snapped in November 2005 after Raj quit the (undivided) Shiv Sena and the Thackeray household, ‘Matoshree’; and a year later he formed the MNS.


Speaking jointly to the media and party workers, Uddhav and Raj appeared relaxed and attempted to paint a historical hue, and how the state’s destiny was entwined with that of the Thackeray clan, and their huge political differences over two decades on various issues.


Uddhav Thackeray

Uddhav recalled the days when the entire Thackeray family fought together in the five-year long Samyukta Maharashtra Movement (1956-1960), contending that after 60 years, Mumbai’s status is again threatened, urging for a similar united action.


“More than six decades after that historic agitation, fresh attempts are being made to weaken Maharashtra by weaning away Mumbai. We (cousins) have had many internal feuds. However, Maharashtra is bigger than our petty differences,” Uddhav magnanimously declared to a thundering applause.


Dispelling any soothsayers, the former Chief Minister determinedly added that “both sides have decided to stand together and remain united”.


Explaining the challenges before the people of the state after the 2024 Assembly elections, Uddhav took a jibe referring to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s slogan – ‘Batenge to Katenge’ then.


He called upon the Marathis and all those who love Maharashtra, Mumbai and Marathi that “Aata chukal, tar sampal” (You err now, You will perish) – and was rewarded with an approving round of applause.


The jolly reconciliatory mood between the cousin brothers seemed to have filtered down to the rank-and-file who were seen smiling, beaming and enjoying the reunion ringing in on Christmas-Eve 2025.


Uddhav pointed out that besides the tie-ups finalised for Mumbai, Thane, Mira-Bhayander, Navi Mumbai, Pune and Nashik, “similar efforts and discussions are underway for other civic bodies as well”, hinting at a broader alliance strategy.


Raj Thackeray:

Raj Thackeray said the state had been anticipating this development for long, and today’s formal declaration marked the end of prolonged uncertainty.


Doling out a booster dose to the leaders and workers of both sides, he confidently asserted that “Mumbai’s next mayor would be a Marathi, and would be (ours)", calling upon the voting masses to bless the new family partnership wholeheartedly.


Aware that his recent political past and ideological stance would face the ‘agni-pariksha’ in coming days, Raj pre-emptively dismissed the BJP’s possible questioning of his Hindutva credentials.


“I get many videos… They should not lecture us on Hindutva. I also have a video clip of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis bidding ‘Allah Hafiz’ and many more,” said Raj, in a veiled dare to the BJP.


Burying the past to break bread

After the split in the Thackeray family 20 years ago, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray were briefly visible at family gatherings, exchanging restrained pleasantries while their parties remained fierce adversaries. Today’s public embrace ensured that the unsavoury past is buried and blood is thicker than water.


Not surprisingly, the alliance announcement sparked scenes of full-throated jubilation among SS (UBT)-MNS activists alike. The venue echoed with cat-calls, drumbeats and bugle sounds as workers danced, hugged and celebrated unabashedly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


At one point, prodded by the legion of paparazzi, a smiling Uddhav wrapped an arm around a grinning Raj’s shoulders and thumped his back, as the latter folded his hands, capturing some memorable frames.


On the stage, there was more symbolism during the ‘say cheese’ scenario – SS (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut occupied the ‘centre-stage’, flanked by Uddhav and Aditya Thackeray on his right plus Raj and Amit Thackeray on the left side.

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