“It is the beginning of the battles. This (Lok Sabha elections), was the first one,” Shiv Sena (Thackeray) Chief, Uddhav Thackeray, told his supporters when they celebrated the party’s victory at his Mumbai residence, Matoshree.

Despite a split in his party, losing its name and symbol, Uddhav Thackeray, has emerged as a stronger political force in Maharashtra. As the legal battle over the party’s name, and symbol wages on, the voters of Maharashtra have resoundingly backed Uddhav, signalling their approval of his leadership. Uddhav demonstrated his political acumen in Mumbai, securing a victory, that will likely bolster his confidence, as he looks ahead to the Mumbai civic polls, and the upcoming state assembly elections.

Following the 2019 assembly elections, Uddhav Thackeray, decided to part ways with the BJP, and form a coalition government with the Congress and NCP, becoming the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. In retaliation, the BJP orchestrated a split within Shiv Sena, installing rebel leader, Eknath Shinde as Chief Minister. This move saw most of Shiv Sena’s MLAs, and MPs defect to Shinde’s camp, leading BJP leaders, to declare the end of Uddhav Thackeray’s political career. Additionally, his cousin brother, and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief, Raj Thackeray, joined the BJP alliance, specifically to undermine Uddhav’s political standing in Mumbai.

“They split my party, and took away our symbol. They said we won the 2019 polls, by putting up Modi’s posters. Today, they had to fight elections by putting up my father’s posters. They criticised me, abused me, but with the support of the people, I stood up to fight. Now, they (BJP) will realise who is real and who is fake,” said Uddhav after the elections. He added that their fight was not just against the BJP, but also against the ED, CBI, income tax department, and the misuse of constitutional bodies.

Change in strategy

Since 2019, Uddhav has changed his party’s strategy, and veered away from the Hindutva version of the BJP. During the Lok Sabha campaign, he contrasted his vision, which focuses on improving everyday life for all, with the BJP’s Hindutva, which he depicted as obsessed with cow urine, and temple rituals while ignoring human dignity. Uddhav garnered massive Muslim support saying that BJP was interested in stoking Hindu-Muslim riots as elections approach. He portrayed himself as the hope for Muslims who find his brand of Hindutva more inclusive. He also invoked the legacies of his grandfather, Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, and Dr BR Ambedkar, highlighting their fight against regressive ideologies. Uddhav portrayed his Hindutva, as a holistic faith that transcends mere rituals, criticising those who seek to change the Constitution authored by Dr Ambedkar, due to caste-based biases.

Leadership capacity

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), consisting of Uddhav’s Shiv Sena, the Congress, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP, clinched victories in four out of six seats in Mumbai, the country’s financial capital. Shiv Sena emerged triumphant in three of the four seats it contested, while also supporting the Congress to secure a win. Overall, Uddhav’s Sena, won nine Lok Sabha seats. This outcome, reaffirms the enduring appeal, and influence of the Thackeray brand, which remains a formidable force in Mumbai, and Maharashtra politics. Now, Uddhav is confident of repeating the performance in Mumbai civic polls, and forthcoming state assembly elections.

Since 2008, when Bal Thackeray formally declared that he had handed over the party reins to Uddhav, questions have been raised on Uddhav’s leadership capacity by Raj Thackeray, rebel Shiv Sena leaders like Narayan Rane. When he joined politics, Uddhav was seemingly an underdog in the political arena, lacking in oratory skills, and not widely recognised for his leadership prowess. Criticised for allegedly benefiting from his father’s legacy, and his wife’s ambitions, many believed, he would falter, once the shadow of Bal Thackeray’s towering persona receded from public memory. However, today’s reality, paints a different picture - the Shiv Sena has not just survived, but thrived under his leadership. Uddhav has fearlessly waded into the turbulent waters of politics, gradually mastering its intricate rules.

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