Uddhav seeks report on whether Sena (UBT) has the potential to win assembly polls on its own

This will help in devising a strategy for the coming assembly polls and also create a case for seeking his share in the seat-sharing in MVA

Mumbai: As part of the strategy for the Maharashtra assembly polls, to be held in the second half of the year, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray called a meeting with party functionaries on Wednesday and asked his team to submit a report on who could win from 288 assembly constituencies and whether the party has potential to win on its own.

Shiv Sena chief ( UBT ) Uddhav Thackeray, Sanjay Raut and Arvind Sawant together during Shiv Sena women, men office bearer meeting Rangsharada Hall, Bandra in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

On Monday, Thackeray also reviewed Sena (UBT)’s performance in the Lok Sabha elections in which it fought for the first time after the split, and managed to secure only nine seats of the 21 seats it contested.

This exercise indicates that Thackeray wants to collect the ground report from party workers about how many seats Shiv Sena (UBT) is capable of winning. This will help in devising a strategy for the coming assembly polls and also create a case for seeking his share in the seat-sharing pact of the three parties in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

Thackeray wants to gather information about how many assembly seats his party could win on its own without the help of any alliance partner before he starts his statewide tour of assembly constituencies after June 19. The other questions in reports would be if alliance parties in MVA helped party candidates in that assembly constituency and if Sena (UBT) workers would be willing to work if an alliance partner is contesting the particular seat. Through this questionnaire, Thackeray wants to know if his party has benefited by being part of the MVA. Thackeray also wanted to find out whether the three parties of MVA were able to transfer their votes to each other. The reports from all coordinators are expected in a week.

While speaking in the meeting, Thackeray said that the party will face assembly elections as part of the MVA but the work will also strengthen the party in all 288 constituencies without thinking about which party will contest the elections from which seats. According to Thackeray, this would help the MVA to win more seats in assembly elections and throw BJP out of power.

Thackeray camp leader and leader of opposition in legislative council Ambadas Danve told media that coordinators will submit their report in eight days. “Party chief Uddhav Thackeray has asked all party workers to show the same aggression of Shiv Sena for which the party was known before 25 years and start the preparation for assembly elections.” said Danve.

Meanwhile, Thackeray also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. “PM Modi is busy in attending the oath taking ceremony and terrorists attacking in Jammu and Kashmir. It was the third attack and PM Modi and home minister Amit Shah have not paid attention towards it. If Modi has no time to look into the matter then he has no right to stay on the post of PM. Recently RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat also reminded PM Modi about Manipur which has been burning for years and Modi did not visit there neither took steps to resolve the issue.” said Thackeray.

Thackeray holds meeting for council elections

Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday released ‘Sankalp Patra’ of party candidate in Mumbai graduate constituency of legislative council Anil Parab. Thackeray said that the party was committed to solving the problems of graduates in Mumbai and urged all voters to cast their votes before going to their office. In the evening Thackeray held the meeting of former corporators, Shakha Pramukh for the campaign for Mumbai teachers and Mumbai graduates candidates. Party has fielded Anil Parab for the graduate constituency and J. M. Abhyankar in the teachers constituency.