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‘It will be a cakewalk if stitch up a robust Marathi-Muslim partnership’
Ambarish Mishra spoke with the party’s strategist at his Bandra (East) office, which boasts as the 2026 poll leitmotif an infra-ray photograph of the BMC headquarters by Uddhav Thackeray, about Sena (UBT) wooing the Marathi manoos and Muslim voters, the hurdles in its path and the future
MUMBAI: Anil Dattatray Parab, 61, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC and Matoshree’s go-to person, is a busy man these days, tying up the loose ends of the Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS -NCP (SP) campaigns, holding hurried parleys with party colleagues and giving last-minute tips to young Shiv Sainiks. Ambarish Mishra spoke with the party’s strategist at his Bandra (East) office, which boasts as the 2026 poll leitmotif an infra-ray photograph of the BMC headquarters by Uddhav Thackeray, about Sena (UBT) wooing the Marathi manoos and Muslim voters, the hurdles in its path and the future.
Excerpts from the interview:
Isn’t this a do-or-die election for Shiv Sena (UBT)?
Yes; this election will determine the political trajectory of our party. Also, this is the party’s first BMC election after the split in 2022. The BJP is no longer our poll ally. We are contesting this election with a sense of déjà vu – talking of the Marathi manoos, which was our agenda in the 1968 municipal election. This suits us well as it evokes Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy.
Is there a single factor on which the party is pinning its hopes in Mumbai?
The Marathi-Muslims votes: It will be a cakewalk if we succeed in stitching up a robust Marathi-Muslim partnership.
What about the Congress? It must be eyeing a larger share of Muslim votes.
The Congress should do well in predominantly Muslim wards. However, Shiv Sena (UBT) will be the first choice of the Muslim community as the Congress is not contesting all the seats in Mumbai. Moreover, Muslims adore Uddhav saheb for taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, regardless of the consequences.
According to our calculations, our party will do abundantly well in wards with a sizeable Marathi-Muslim population, such as Millat Nagar, in Jogeshwari; Sion-Koliwada; and some others in Andheri, Bandra, Dharavi and Chembur.
The Sena (UBT) earned a lead of 27,000 votes in Dharavi Lok Sabha elections last year because of the Marathi-Muslim combination.
But your tilt towards secularism will not go down well with Marathis who have been weaned on Bal Thackeray’s militant Hindutva.
As a Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partner we certainly are pro-Constitution, but not with the Congress’s idea of secularism. We have told the Congress that we wouldn’t be giving up Hindutva.
What are the hurdles your party is facing?
First, the Marathi vote-base is shrinking fast. According to our reports, Mumbai has a meagre 25% Marathi voters. The BJP may try hard to win a large chunk.
Second, the Shiv Sena (UBT) lacks a good team to shape and monitor the poll machinery. All our seniors are either dead or too old to lead a campaign. Yet, many second-rung functionaries who have seen the Balasaheb era are, happily, active.
Third, many of the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates are young – nearly 60% are first timers. They hardly know the campaign process.
Fourth, the issue of funds. We can’t match the kind of money our poll rivals are pouring into their campaigns. The BJP and Shiv Sena are dipping into the Urban Development (UD) or District Planning and Development Council (DPDC) funds to offer sops to voters. They use the official machinery to channelise and legitimise the transaction.
You think voters can be lured by cash?
No, not in Mumbai. Mumbaikars can’t be bought over by cash. They are smart. My poll experience tells me that corporators with a good track record have an edge over their rivals with money-bags.
How will Mumbai vote? Is there a pattern?
The BJP will garner votes in Mumbai North and Mumbai North-west because of Gujarati, north Indian and Jain votes. The Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS-NCP (SP) combine will do exceedingly well in Mumbai North-central and Mumbai South-central, which have a good Marathi-Muslim concentration.
The NCP (SP) can garner votes in Bhandup, Vikhroli, Chembur, Gorai and Charkop, and a few pockets in South-central Mumbai too. There will be tough fights in Mumbai North-east and Mumbai South.
Actually, the 102 BMC wards between Dahisar and Bandra will determine the poll outcome. Whoever wins 60 seats in this belt will have its mayor.
What about division of Marathi votes?
That’s the biggest worry. However, we hope the Shivaji Park rally on Sunday (to be addressed by the Thackeray cousins) will consolidate the Marathi votes.
How do you see the post-poll scenario? Will the BJP and Shiv Sena poach on your newly elected corporators?
They can do anything. The judiciary and the administrative agencies are on their side.
Will the Sena (UBT) continue to remain in the MVA alliance regardless of the BMC poll results?
Certainly. But the Congress needs to act reasonably. They refused to be with us in Mumbai because we inked a poll pact with the MNS, which the Congress perceives as anti-north Indians. However, the Congress and the MNS are allies in Pune and Nashik. There can’t be two different rules.
Will the political formations change in Maharashtra, post-BMC election?
No. The present formation will continue as it is till the 2029 polls. However, the internal dissension in the BJP may come to a boil.
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