Maharashtra assembly elections: Want unity, not CM post, says Uddhav Thackeray

Amidst talks that he harboured aspirations to return to Mantralaya's top office, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has said he was not in the race for the position he held for over two years. He said he would support any candidate announced by the Congress and NCP (SP) as the Maha Vikas Aghadi's chief ministerial face. Thackeray added that the pre-poll announcement would stop a battle within the alliance for winning more numbers than each other to stake claim to the CMO.

Thackeray was speaking at the MVA's conclave in Mumbai on Friday. Along with Sena (UBT) president, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, state Congress president Nana Patole and a host of leaders from MVA parties encouraged some 3,000 office-bearers to take home a resolution to defeat the Mahayuti government in the Assembly elections that, according to the Election Commission, are likely to be held in November instead of October 2024.

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MVA leaders at the alliance conclave advised party workers stay united

"I ask you to announce the CM candidate now. I will support your choice," he told Pawar and Congress leaders. "I'm not fighting for the CM's post, but for Maharashtra's pride and honour. I say that we will bury those who are looting Maharashtra," he added. He reasoned that alliance partners don't work for each other when the arrangement is such that the ally that wins the most seats gets the CM's post. "This leads to pada padi [ensuring the defeat of the ally's candidates]. What's the use of the alliance, then?" he asked, while recalling undivided Sena's bitter alliance with the BJP.

According to Thackeray, the MVA's priority should be to work for each other and not fight over seats. "Let's first decide [the CM face] and then go ahead. I have opened the batting, let's see what others do. The opening batsman either makes good runs or sits [in the dressing room] watching others bat," he said, while clarifying why he spoke before other chieftains held the mike.

Allies' agenda

While Pawar did not commit, Patole said senior leaders would decide on the CM. All speakers set an agenda for the poll campaign that was weaved around the allegations of corruption in the present government and bad governance, the Mahayuti government formation and the past work of the MVA government. The pep talks were based on the MVA's good show in the Lok Sabha elections and a conducive atmosphere for a repeat. The leaders advised the rank and file to maintain the unity that they had shown in the general elections.

‘Thackeray brought to terms'

City BJP president Ashish Shelar said that Thackeray's statement demonstrated that his desire for the CM's position during his alliance with the BJP was absolutely fake. "The UBT group that was boasting about their candidate becoming the CM and invited all to the oathtaking ceremony was brought to terms during the MVA gathering on Friday," he added.

He said Thackeray had gone lobbying with Congress and others in Delhi, "But it appears that his request was ignored. He also held meetings at Silver Oak [Pawar's Mumbai residence], but he was disappointed. Currently, he is fretting and eventually might become resentful," added Shelar, while alleging wrongdoings and corruption during Thackeray's tenure as the CM.