Shiv Sena (UBT) Leader Criticizes Congress Over Seat-Sharing in Maharashtra Elections

A senior leader of Shiv Sena (UBT) has criticized Congress, an ally in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), for its "overconfidence" and "attitude" during seat-sharing negotiations, which he claims negatively impacted the coalition’s performance in the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly elections. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance achieved a resounding victory, securing 230 of the 288 Assembly seats, while the MVA coalition of Congress, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction, and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena managed only 46 seats.

Seat-Sharing Disputes and Leadership Criticism

Ambadas Danve, Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, highlighted what he saw as missteps in the MVA’s electoral strategy. He argued that the alliance should have projected Uddhav Thackeray as its chief ministerial candidate, which he believes could have altered the outcome.

"After the Lok Sabha election results, Congress became overconfident in Maharashtra, as in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir. This was evident in their approach to seat-sharing talks. Their attitude hurt the alliance. Uddhav ji should have been projected as the Chief Minister face. Not doing so damaged our prospects," Danve said, as reported by NDTV.

Danve also took a subtle jab at Congress, remarking, "They were getting ready with suit and tie even before the results."

Congress' Role in the MVA's Struggles

Congress had emerged as the strongest MVA ally in the previous Lok Sabha elections, winning 13 seats. This success, however, reportedly emboldened the party to bargain aggressively during seat-sharing discussions for the state elections. Congress fielded candidates in 103 seats but won only 16. In comparison, the Shiv Sena (UBT) contested 89 seats and won 20, while Sharad Pawar’s NCP contested 87 seats and secured 10.

The friction during these negotiations, combined with Congress’ inability to replicate its Lok Sabha performance, seems to have contributed to the MVA’s lackluster results.

Danve also addressed concerns within the Shiv Sena (UBT), suggesting that some candidates had pointed out organizational shortcomings during the elections. He emphasized the party's commitment to strengthening its structure, with an eye on eventually contesting all 288 Assembly seats in Maharashtra.

Commenting on Eknath Shinde, who split from the Shiv Sena to align with the BJP, Danve stated that the BJP employs a “use-and-throw” strategy with leaders like Shinde. "The BJP has many Shindes across different states," he said, implying a pattern of exploiting leaders for political gain before sidelining them.

The BJP emerged as the dominant force within the Mahayuti alliance, winning 132 seats. Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP secured 57 and 41 seats, respectively.

Following internal discussions within the Mahayuti, Eknath Shinde announced on Wednesday that he would abide by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leadership's decision regarding the chief ministerial position.

Danve’s criticism highlights the internal challenges and strategic missteps that plagued the MVA alliance, contributing to its electoral defeat. As the BJP consolidates its position in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and its allies face the dual challenge of rebuilding internally and navigating strained partnerships.