Our Defeat Has Grace, Their Victory Is Stained: Uddhav
Despite the Mahayuti alliance crossing the majority mark with 118 seats, Thackeray maintained that the moral high ground remained with his faction, which secured 65 seats: Reports
MUMBAI: In a defiant address following the declaration of municipal election results, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday accused the BJP of using every dirty trick to win the BMC election. He also slammed Eknath Shinde for getting involved in the “conspiracy to finish Shiv Sena”.
Mr. Thackeray conceded that while his party currently lacks the numbers to install a Mayor, the BJP’s victory is “tainted” by unethical practices.
Despite the Mahayuti alliance crossing the majority mark with 118 seats, Thackeray maintained that the moral high ground remained with his faction, which secured 65 seats.
Admitting that his party did not get expected number of seats in the BMC, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief said, “It was Balasaheb Thackeray’s dream that Mumbai mayor should always be a Shiv Sainik. Those assisting the BJP and facilitating their path to the Mayor’s post should feel ashamed of the "sin" they are committing. Their future generation will have to live with this burden.”
Mr. Thackeray further expressed concern over potential horse-trading, warning that those who defected once remain susceptible to further poaching. He alleged that the BJP might even target corporators from the Shinde faction to solidify their hold on the municipal leadership and abandon Mr. Shinde.
In a sharp rebuke regarding his party’s status, Mr. Thackeray stated that while the BJP may think they have finished the Shiv Sena on paper, they cannot eliminate them from the ground. He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party is an entity that now exists primarily on paper and through administrative machinery, rather than through a genuine connection to the soil.
Accusing the BJP of conducting a “dirty election” through the use of “Sam, Dam, Dand, Bhed”, Mr. Thackeray questioned the integrity of the election process.
“We saw empty chairs in rallies held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections. Even Devendra Fadnavis rallies during the BMC election campaign saw rows of empty chairs. Raj Thackeray and my rallies were packed with supporters. It is a mystery for me how empty chairs translated into votes for the BJP,” Mr Thackeray said.
The final electoral tally places the BJP as the largest single party with 89 seats. When combined with Eknath Shinde’s 29 seats, the Mahayuti alliance reaches 118, effectively sealing the fate of the Mayor's office. In contrast, the Shiv Sena (UBT) secured 65 seats, while Raj Thackeray’s MNS was relegated to just 6.