Six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs gone, support dwindling: Where does Uddhav Thackeray go from here?

In politics, it can never really be an endgame. So, are the devastating developments in Shiv Sena (UBT) the end of the road for party chief Uddhav Thackeray, the son of the man who started it all six decades ago, the late Balasaheb Thackeray?

Considered an introverted politician, especially when compared to the aggressive style associated with the “original” Shiv Sena and his father, many believe the “humble and modest” Uddhav was perhaps never really cut out for cutthroat politics. For much of his early life, he remained out of the spotlight, preferring wildlife and aerial photography to public life.

Advertisement

His cousin Raj Thackeray was often seen as more of a chip off the old block, Balasaheb Thackeray.

Uddhav took control of the party in January 2013 after his father’s death. He also inherited the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, one of the oldest and most enduring ideological coalitions in Indian politics, which lasted nearly three decades before collapsing in 2019 over power-sharing differences.

Observers say breaking ties with the BJP may have been Uddhav’s biggest political mistake.

After severing ties with the BJP, he formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government with the Congress and the NCP and became Maharashtra Chief Minister. The decision reshaped Maharashtra politics and altered the trajectory of his party. However, since the first split in 2022, when he lost the government, a large section of MLAs and the party’s “Bow and Arrow” symbol to Eknath Shinde, he has been fighting a perception battle over who truly carries Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy.

Observers say that more than the exits of leaders such as Chhagan Bhujbal, Narayan Rane or Raj Thackeray, what hurt Uddhav the most was Shinde’s rebellion. Shinde not only broke away but also became Chief Minister with BJP support and, later, the backing of the breakaway faction of Sharad Pawar’s NCP. Unlike earlier departures led by individual leaders, the Shinde revolt directly challenged Uddhav’s leadership and the party’s political future.

On Monday, Shinde dealt another major blow by taking away six of Shiv Sena (UBT)’s nine Lok Sabha MPs. With signs of unease among some party MLAs and no control over local bodies, particularly the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), observers say Uddhav’s political future may depend on how he navigates the next round of electoral battles with a shrinking support base.

His immediate challenge will be whether he can rally his remaining supporters, rebuild the party’s grassroots network and demonstrate that he still embodies the Thackeray legacy. “Despite losing the party name and symbol to Shinde, Uddhav and his son Aaditya Thackeray still carry the Thackeray surname, which may retain emotional appeal among Shiv Sena supporters,” observers say.

There may also be a sympathy factor working in his favour. Whether that will be enough against the sharp political strategies of the BJP and Shinde remains to be seen.