Uddhav Thackeray Reacts to Setback: Questions BJP Victory, Warns of “One Party, One Nation” Shift
New Delhi: Uddhav Thackeray, the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, appeared visibly stunned after his party’s significant defeat in the state elections, a result that contrasted sharply with the success of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in the Lok Sabha elections just months earlier. Speaking to reporters, Thackeray questioned how the ruling alliance managed to secure such a drastic victory in just four months, especially when MVA rallies seemed to attract more people than those held by the opposition.
“I can’t believe Maharashtra, which supported me during the COVID crisis, would treat me this way,” said the 64-year-old leader. “How did they win so many seats in such a short time? What magic did they perform to achieve this?” he added, expressing disbelief at the outcome.
Despite his party’s losses, Thackeray dismissed claims by the rival factions of the ruling alliance that the results proved who the “real Shiv Sena” was. “We’ve been waiting for a decision on the party name and symbol for years,” he stated, shifting the issue to the courts, where the matter remains unresolved.
The Shiv Sena UBT leader also acknowledged the BJP’s strong performance but refrained from blaming Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for the defeat. “Some are blaming EVMs for this result. If people have accepted it, then I have no problem,” he said.
Thackeray, however, did suggest a worrying trend, referencing BJP chief JP Nadda’s earlier statement about a “one party” future. “It seems they are moving towards ‘one party, one nation,'” he warned, hinting at the BJP’s increasing dominance.
The Sena UBT, under Thackeray’s leadership, won 20 of the 89 seats it contested, far behind Eknath Shinde’s faction, which won 57 of the 80 seats. Meanwhile, the ruling alliance of Shinde’s Sena, Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction, and the BJP are leading with 236 of Maharashtra’s 288 seats.
Thackeray urged his supporters not to lose hope, despite the electoral setback, and promised to continue challenging the political landscape in Maharashtra.
