Aaditya in, Amit out: How the Thackerays fared in the Maharashtra elections

Maharashtra Assembly elections: Mahayuti coalition leads in 229 seats, while Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance leads in 53 seats and others in six Assembly constituencies

In the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Aaditya Thackeray of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction is set to secure re-election in Worli, while Amit Thackeray, representing the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), did not make much of an impression in Mahim.

 

Aaditya Thackeray leads in Worli

Aaditya Thackeray, a key figure in the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction and former Maharashtra minister, maintained his stronghold in Worli with a lead of over 8,000 votes. He is ahead of his closest rivals, Milind Deora of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and Sandeep Deshpande of the MNS.  Aaditya gained widespread recognition for his leadership during the Covid-19 crisis, which bolstered his political reputation following his maiden electoral victory in 2019. Thackeray faced challenges from Deora, who has sought to connect with urban voters, and Deshpande, whose campaign focused on local civic issues.

 

Aaditya Thackeray’s faction of the Shiv Sena is aligned with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which includes the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Sharad Pawar faction.

 

Amit Thackeray falls short in Mahim

In Mahim, Amit Thackeray, son of MNS founder Raj Thackeray, made his electoral debut but trailed significantly behind Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Mahesh Baliram Sawant and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction)’s Sada Sarvankar. Sawant leads the constituency with a narrow margin of just over 1,200 votes, leaving the contest primarily between the two Shiv Sena factions.

 

Despite the BJP not fielding a candidate in Mahim, which suggested tacit support for Amit Thackeray, the MNS leader struggled to gain traction.

 

Thackeray family’s political legacy

The Thackeray family remains a central figure in Maharashtra’s politics. Bal Thackeray, the founder of Shiv Sena, established the party in 1966 as a pro-Marathi and Hindu nationalist organisation. The family’s political dynasty splintered in 2006 when Raj Thackeray parted ways to form the MNS.

 

The party underwent another split in 2022 when Eknath Shinde led a rebellion against then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, forming his own faction and aligning with the BJP.

 

Uddhav Thackeray served as Maharashtra Chief Minister from 2019 to 2022, and now leads the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, with his son Aaditya playing a prominent role in the party. The elections mark a turning point for the Thackeray family’s political clout, as Aaditya cements his leadership in Worli.

 

Mahayuti alliance set for a landslide victory in Maharashtra

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, which includes the Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena, is heading for a decisive victory. As per Election Commission data, the coalition is leading in 229 of the 288 Assembly seats. The BJP has already won eight seats and leads in 121, while the Shinde faction has won six and is ahead in 49 seats.

 

The MVA alliance trails with leads in only 53 seats. Within the MVA, Shiv Sena (UBT) leads in 20 constituencies, Congress in 19, and the NCP’s Sharad Pawar faction has won one seat and leads in 11.