Infighting, delayed seat talks affected MVA in polls: Uddhav
In an interview to his party mouthpiece Saamana, Uddhav spoke about the infighting and delayed seat-sharing talks within the MVA, which comprises the Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP) led by Sharad Pawar.
'If mistakes like these are repeated, there is no point in staying together. Seat-sharing discussions dragged on until the very last minute, and candidate selection was left unresolved in several constituencies. The public received the wrong message,' the Sena UBT chief said.
Uddhav said that despite MVA's stellar performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections—where the alliance bagged 30 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra—the momentum was squandered in the Assembly polls due to a shift from collective strategy to individual party ambitions.
'The enthusiasm turned into ego-driven politics,' he remarked.
Uddhav further suggested that populist schemes announced by the ruling Mahayuti ahead of the Assembly polls, such as the Ladki Bahin scheme, and allegations of manipulation in electoral processes—ranging from questionable voter lists to concerns about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)—dented the MVA's prospects.
'These issues need to be investigated. But it's equally important to accept our own mistakes,' he added.
Slamming the BJP and the Election Commission, Uddhav also reiterated that the 'Thackeray' name is not merely a political brand but a cultural identity rooted in Maharashtra's history.
'They can snatch our symbol or give it to someone else, but not the name built by my father and grandfather. The roots of our legacy lie deep in the Marathi soil,' Thackeray said, referring to the EC's decision to award the original Shiv Sena name and symbol to the Eknath Shinde- led party.
He also took veiled jibes at the RSS and BJP, accusing them of attempting to hijack the 'Thackeray brand' despite having 'built nothing in 100 years.'
Uddhav's remarks came around eight months after the MVA's dismal show in the Assembly polls, where the BJP-led Mahayuti—comprising the BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP—secured a landslide victory.
The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 132 seats, while Shinde Sena bagged 57 and Ajit Pawar's NCP got 41 seats.
The Sena UBT, NCP (SP, and Congress managed to win 20, 16, and 10 seats respectively, bringing the MVA's total to a meagre 46 in the 288-member Assembly.
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