Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has expressed confusion over the scale of the NDA’s overwhelming victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, asking what the Mahayuti alliance had done to deserve such a “tsunami” of votes. The NDA is on track to retain control of the state with a commanding lead, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) appears to be struggling, trailing far behind.
In an address to the media, Uddhav thanked the people of Maharashtra for their support but questioned the extent of the NDA’s triumph. “The results show a tsunami, not just a wave. But what did they do to deserve this mandate?” he said.
At the time of reporting, the NDA was leading in over 230 constituencies, while the MVA was trailing with leads in only about 60 seats.
Uddhav compared the current outcome to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections when the MVA, despite being a smaller coalition, delivered a significant blow to the BJP. “How did the situation change so drastically in just four months?” he wondered. He also highlighted ongoing issues in the state, such as farmers’ distress and unemployment, questioning whether these problems were addressed adequately to justify such an electoral victory for the NDA.”
Farmers are suffering, and unemployment is rampant. What have they done to earn such a massive mandate? I don’t believe slogans like ‘Batenge Katenge’ worked,” Uddhav remarked, referring to the BJP’s campaign rhetoric.
While he congratulated the NDA for its victory, Uddhav emphasized the importance of delivering on promises, particularly the implementation of the “Ladki Bahin Yojana” and farmer debt relief. “I hope these promises aren’t just election slogans,” he added.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief also expressed his disappointment, saying, “I can’t believe that Maharashtra, the state that stood by me during the challenging times of COVID-19, would turn out this way.” Uddhav’s comments reflected his shock at MVA’s poor showing in the elections.
Additionally, Uddhav pointed to the contentious context of the elections, which took place before the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Shiv Sena symbol and name dispute. “They had the symbol and the name, yet the elections were conducted. We need to understand how this result came about,” he said.
As reports surfaced linking BJP’s Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to the Chief Minister’s role, Uddhav acknowledged that the BJP’s strong performance would likely lead to one of their leaders being appointed as the state’s next Chief Minister.
