Why Uddhav needs to win BMC elections for his political survival

New Delhi: After losing the Maharashtra polls, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections would be the endgame for Uddhav Thackeray as he fights for survival in state politics and more importantly the legacy of his father Bal Thackeray.  

Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has been holding on to the BMC for the past 25 years and after the massive setback in recent state Assembly polls, the party would be fighting for its survival by trying to win the municipal elections.

Polls to the BMC have been repeatedly delayed as the Mahayuti was unsure of its political influence in the state. However, after a spectacular performance in assembly polls, the Mahayuti is now confident of making major gains in the civic body’s elections. Sources in the Mahayuti stated that the loss of BMC would sound the death knell for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena as it will be devoid of the much-needed influence and money that come with the control of the civic body.

Controlling the BMC, which administers India’s economic capital, is considered very important in Maharashtra politics. Apart from being the richest civic body in the country, ruling it also comes with a lot of political might and prestige. This battle could spell the make-or-break moment for Uddhav as he battles for his political survival.

Ever since his breaking away from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Uddhav has lost the party name, the symbol, and the influence. Even seemingly losing the legacy of his father Bal Thackeray to his one-time confidante Eknath Shinde.

Many political experts feel that Uddhav‘s decision to break away from National Democratic Alliance and share power with Congress and Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party vacated the right aisle space for the BJP in Maharashtra.

From being one of the biggest and most influential political parties in the state, the Shiv Sena UBT is now the fourth-largest party after the Assembly polls.

Even the party's ground connection has been disrupted, and Uddhav occupies the overcrowded space on the left aisle, where Congress is way ahead of him. It is also feared that Eknath Shinde will continue to break Shiv Sena UBT further.

The MahaYuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, secured an unprecedented 230 out of 288 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly polls, with the BJP winning 132, Shiv Sena securing 57, and the NCP taking 41. While the MVA only managed to win 46 seats.

The MahaYuti may also seek a tacit alliance with Raj Thackeray to secure a win in the BMC polls. It is learnt that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena candidates may be fielded tacitly from where the Uddhav faction is powerful in an effort to eat into the traditional votes that owe allegiance to the Thackeray family.  The move comes as the ruling allies want to finish the last bastion of Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena in Maharashtra

A win in BMC polls for MahaYuti would also positively impact the cadre of the BJP and Shiv Sena who feel that they are the legitimate saffron workers in the state and that Uddhav had betrayed them by allying with NCP and Congress.

Maharashtra, one of the biggest states in the country, elects 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha and is a high priority for the BJP due to its political and economic influence.