MUMBAI: Although the Shiv Sena (UBT)-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) alliance won only 71 seats in the BMC and lost to the BJP-led Mahayuti’s sweep of 118 seats, the Thackeray camp is reportedly considering contesting the upcoming mayoral election. Sena (UBT) leader Vinayak Raut said that the party’s candidate would pose a challenge to the BJP candidate while MLA Aaditya Thackeray continued the suspense, saying all would be clear soon.
On Thursday morning, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut indicated that party chief Uddhav Thackeray would discuss the issue of contesting the mayoral election, as the party was inimical to the idea of a BJP mayor in the BMC. However, the party is divided on this, and Thackeray will take a call soon.
Vinayak Raut, a close aide of Uddhav Thackeray, also indicated that the opposition parties had good enough numbers to cause trouble for the BJP-led Mahayuti. “The Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate, with the support of other parties, could cost the BJP the mayor’s and deputy mayor’s post,” he said. Another Sena (UBT) leader remarked that there was a view that by contesting the election with the help of other opposition parties, the Sena (UBT) could display the strength of the opposition in the house to keep up the pressure on the BJP-led Mahayuti and the administration for the next five years.
For some Sena (UBT) politicians, the target is their old bete noire Eknath Shinde. A Sena (UBT) leader, who did not want to be named, told HT, “It is unlikely that we will contest the election. Instead, not contesting will, in a sense, be an indirect collaboration with the BJP to reduce Eknath Shinde’s importance, as his support will not be necessary for the BJP to prove a majority.”
{{/usCountry}}For some Sena (UBT) politicians, the target is their old bete noire Eknath Shinde. A Sena (UBT) leader, who did not want to be named, told HT, “It is unlikely that we will contest the election. Instead, not contesting will, in a sense, be an indirect collaboration with the BJP to reduce Eknath Shinde’s importance, as his support will not be necessary for the BJP to prove a majority.”
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