The third generation of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, who ran Maharashtra politics with remote control, has come out to try his luck on the election pitch. Two young faces of the Thackeray family are contesting from two different assembly seats in Mumbai. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Aditya Thackeray, son of former CM Uddhav Thackeray, has contested from his Worli seat, while MNS president Raj Thackeray’s son Amit Thackeray has contested for the first time from Mahim seat. Has the opposition created such a political maze against the Thackeray brothers, which is not easy to break?
Balasaheb Thackeray never contested elections in his political career. When the Shiv Sena-BJP government was formed in Maharashtra in 1995, instead of taking command of power himself, Bal Thackeray appointed his close aide and ran it through remote control. Uddhav Thackeray, who took over the political legacy of Bal Thackeray, may not have contested the elections, but he became the Chief Minister to take over the reins of power. Uddhav Thackeray was the first person from the Thackeray family to hold a constitutional post.
Amit Thackeray from Mahim seat of Mumbai
His son Raj Thackeray, considered the political heir of Uddhav Thackeray, became an MLA and minister by contesting elections from Worli in the year 2019. Now again Aditya Thackeray has come to try his luck from Worli seat. At the same time, Raj Thackeray, who grew up under the tutelage of Bal Thackeray, may have never entered the electoral political field himself, but now he has fielded his son Amit Thackeray from Mahim seat of Mumbai.
Aditya Thackeray vs Milind Deora
Aditya Thackeray was elected MLA from Worli seat in 2019 by defeating NCP’s Suresh Mane by 60 thousand votes, but this time the situation has changed. Last time Aditya also had the support of BJP and Shiv Sena was united and there was a walkover of Raj Thackeray. In such a situation, he had registered a unilateral victory, but this time Shiv Sena has divided into two parts and BJP is also against him. This time Raj Thackeray is not helping him on Worli seat.
Contest on Worli Assembly seat
CM Shinde’s Shiv Sena has fielded Milind Deora from Worli against Aditya Thackeray. Deora has the support of BJP and Ajit Pawar’s party. Not only this, Raj Thackeray has given ticket to his close associate Sandeep Deshpande from Worli. In this way, the opposition has created a tremendous political maze against Aditya Thackeray, but with the support of Congress and Sharad Pawar’s party, the contest has become interesting.
Aditya Thackeray was surrounded like this
Worli seat of Mumbai has a large number of high profile voters from the Maratha community. While Milind Deora’s hold is considered strong among the high profile class, there is a danger of fragmentation of Maratha votes due to the entry of MNS candidate Sandeep Deshpande. The election has become very interesting due to the way Eknath Shinde and Raj Thackeray have laid siege against Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aditya Thackeray.
Raj Thackeray presented a tough challenge
Worli comes under Mumbai South parliamentary seat. If we look at the votes received in Worli seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) had got the lead by only 6715 votes. Raj Thackeray, who gave a walkover to Aditya Thackeray in the last elections, has presented a tough challenge this time. Sandeep Deshpande had secured around 33 thousand votes in the 2017 Municipal Corporation elections in Worli. In this way, the tension has increased for Aditya Thackeray, who is surrounded by two sides on Worli seat.
Amit Thackeray also surrounded on Mahim seat
Raj Thackeray, who came into politics by holding the finger of Balasaheb Thackeray, may have separated from Shiv Sena and formed a party in the name of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, but his political style is like that of Bal Thackeray. Raj Thackeray, following the footsteps of his uncle Bal Thackeray, never contested elections, but this time he has fielded his son Amit Thackeray from Mahim seat. Amit Thackeray has also filed nomination on Monday, but his political path is not going to be easy. Mahim is considered an old stronghold of Shiv Sena and MNS has hoisted the flag of victory.
3 constables of Shiv Sena on Mahim seat
Shiv Sena MLA Sada Sarvankar has won from Mahim seat thrice, but he left Uddhav Thackeray along with Eknath Shinde. CM Shinde has made Saravankar the candidate from Mahim seat while Uddhav Thackeray has made Mahesh Sawant the candidate. BJP wanted to garner the sympathy of MNS supporters by giving a walkover to Amit Thackeray on this seat, but Sada Saravankar, descended from Shinde’s Shiv Sena, is not ready. In such a situation, the fight for Mahim seat has become between three constables of Shiv Sena.
