Mumbai LS Seats Won by Shiv Sena UBT on Minority Votes: Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis highlighted a shift in voting patterns in the recent Lok Sabha elections in Mumbai, attributing the success of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena UBT to the support from minorities and non-Marathi speaking residents. Despite its traditional "sons of the soil" stance, the Shiv Sena UBT secured three out of six seats in Mumbai, a development that Fadnavis suggests marks a departure from its usual voter base.

According to Fadnavis, the victory of the opposition in Mumbai was not powered by the Marathi-speaking populace or the longstanding north Indian community but was instead on account of votes from groups that the party has recently sought to appeal to. He pointed out a change in Uddhav Thackeray's public addresses, noting a cessation of references to "my Hindu brothers and sisters" as part of an effort to garner minority support.

The Deputy Chief Minister also touched upon the challenges faced by the BJP during the elections, conceding that accusations regarding intentions to amend the Constitution and abolish reservations adversely affected their campaign. Despite contesting 28 seats across Maharashtra, the BJP saw a significant reduction in their tally, securing only nine seats—a stark contrast to their 2019 performance where they won 23 seats.

Fadnavis expressed confidence in reclaiming the Mumbai Graduates constituency in upcoming elections, presenting Kiran Shelar as their candidate. He refuted the effectiveness of what he termed as a "fake narrative" against the BJP and underscored Prime Minister Narendra Modi's role in implementing the Constitution nationwide, specifically mentioning the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Despite the BJP and its allies winning only two seats in Mumbai, Fadnavis pointed out that they received a total of 26 lakh votes compared to 24 lakh votes for MVA candidates. He interpreted this as an indication of waning influence for Aaditya Thackeray's Worli assembly seat, which only led by 6000 votes for their South Mumbai Lok Sabha candidate. Fadnavis concluded with an optimistic outlook for the BJP's prospects in upcoming civic polls, suggesting that these developments signal an end to Sena's dominance in Mumbai politics.