Uddhav Thackeray’s decision to form Maha Vikas Aghadi was a costly mistake

Mumbai:  As per political experts, The Maha Vikas Aghadi or Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is facing discontent in Maharashtra.  The MVA was formed in 2019. In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance secured a clear majority, with the BJP winning 105 seats and Shiv Sena taking 56. Together, the Grand Alliance commanded a total of 161 seats, which is enough to form a government.

But, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray  decided to break the alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Then he joined hands with Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to form the MVA. This opportunistic stand has led to widespread criticism and discontent among the people of Maharashtra.

This decision raised questions about Uddhav Thackeray’s political judgment and the future of his party. Throughout his tenure as Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray faced challenges in managing the government and was frequently criticized for his lack of engagement in parliamentary proceedings. His rare appearances in the Chief Minister’s office and inadequate responses to the opposition’s questions further fueled the perception that he was ill-equipped for the role.

Uddhav Thackeray’s alliance with Congress and NCP has been largely one-sided. Congress and NCP leaders, particularly Sharad Pawar, have reportedly taken advantage of Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership to secure votes for their parties, without offering reciprocal support to Shiv Sena.

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Congress and NCP’s strategy seems clear: weaken Uddhav Thackeray’s hold over Shiv Sena while securing a stronger position for themselves in future elections. Uddhav Thackeray is increasingly sidelined and left with few options but to go along with the plans of his coalition partners. This has already led to fractures within his party, with several ministers and MLAs shifting their support to Congress and NCP.

At present,  Congress and NCP view Shiv Sena (under Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership) as a weak link and are taking steps to undermine his image while benefiting from their association with him. This has  left Uddhav Thackeray politically isolated and weakened.

Uddhav Thackeray’s decision to abandon the BJP and form an alliance with Congress and NCP has proven to be a costly mistake. Uddhav Thackeray’s gamble has led to internal strife within his party, loss of support, and increasing criticism from both his opponents and coalition partners.