The 2024 Maharashtra Assembly election results have brought unexpected setbacks for Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, as the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) faced a tough challenge against the Mahayuti alliance. In Mumbai, Thackeray’s Shiv Sena contested 22 of the 36 seats but only managed to win 10. Meanwhile, the BJP secured 15 out of 19 contested seats, while Eknath Shinde’s faction of the Shiv Sena claimed 6 out of 14 seats. The defeat of Thackeray’s faction can largely be attributed to poor candidate selection, with reports suggesting that misjudgments by certain party leaders contributed to the loss. Several constituencies highlight how these wrong choices led to Thackeray’s downfall, even when his party had a clear chance to win.
Andheri East Constituency: Andheri East was another key battleground. Following the death of Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Latke, a by-election was held in October 2022, where Rutuja Latke, Ramesh’s wife, was fielded as the candidate. While she initially won unopposed due to the withdrawal of BJP’s Murji Patel, her term as an MLA was marred by accusations of inactivity and failure to meet local expectations. Despite repeated requests from party workers for a change, Rutuja Latke was selected again, which led to her loss to Murji Patel of Shinde’s Shiv Sena by 25,000 votes.
Kurla Constituency: In Kurla, the UBT Shiv Sena’s decision to nominate Praveena Morajkar, despite strong backing for Ashwin Malik Meshram from both Maratha and Muslim communities, caused unrest. Morajkar, a former corporator, faced opposition from party workers and community leaders. Meshram, who had wide support, was bypassed due to internal party pressure. This strategic misstep handed the advantage to Mangesh Kudalkar of Shinde’s Shiv Sena, who claimed victory in an area where the MVA had previously enjoyed a 25,000 vote lead.
Chembur Constituency: The Chembur seat saw a direct contest between Tukaram Kate of Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Prakash Phatarpekar of Uddhav’s faction. Phatarpekar, who had won this seat in 2019, lost this time by over 10,000 votes. The loss is attributed to party infighting and opposition to Phatarpekar’s candidacy. Local party leaders had recommended Anil Patankar for the ticket, but the decision to back Phatarpekar, influenced by the Yuva Sena Chief, backfired. Additionally, Chembur has historically been a Congress stronghold, and local dissatisfaction over unresolved infrastructure issues like metro and monorail projects weakened Phatarpekar’s position, leading to his defeat.
Thackeray’s Shiv Sena has repeatedly fallen into the trap of selecting candidates based on sympathy or internal party pressure, rather than merit or popular support. Critics argue that the party’s arrogance following its Lok Sabha victories played a role in its downfall in Mumbai. Opposition figures have even mocked the MVA, stating, “The MVA lost in Mumbai due to the arrogance of their Lok Sabha success.” It’s clear that Uddhav Thackeray needs to reflect on his party’s performance and understand where the mistakes were made in Mumbai.
