Will Uddhav's UBT Reunite With Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena After Polls? Here's What Maha CM Says

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has denied any possibility of reuniting with Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Shinde explained, "Why did we leave the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena? Because Uddhavji betrayed the ideology of our founder, Balasaheb Thackeray. People expected us to form the government with the BJP, with whom we had contested the elections as allies. However, Uddhavji chose to ally with the Congress and the NCP, which Balasaheb would have never supported. This left us with no choice but to part ways."

When asked whether the split could weaken the Shiv Sena, Shinde asserted that his faction did not initiate the division and emphasized that they are the true followers of Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology. "The bow-and-arrow symbol is with us. The majority is with us. This was proven in the Lok Sabha elections. We contested 13 seats against Uddhav's faction and won seven," he said.

Shinde further claimed that Uddhav Thackeray's political survival depends on Congress support. "The original voter base of the Sena is with us; Uddhavji is surviving on the strength of Congress voters. Uddhavji has become a parjeevi (parasite)," he remarked.

In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the undivided Shiv Sena and BJP coalition won a majority. However, disagreements over the Chief Minister's post led Uddhav Thackeray to form an alliance with the Congress and the NCP. After 30 months, Shinde led a split involving 41 MLAs, causing the fall of Uddhav's government.

The upcoming election for the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, set for November 20, has shaped into a significant contest. The battle features six major parties from two alliances: the NDA (comprising the BJP, Shinde's Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP) and the MVA (including the Congress, Uddhav's UBT, and Sharad Pawar's NCP).