UBT trapped in the Chakravyuha of political ‘Situationship’

 

Uddhav Thackeray has entered into an image-building game for the Mumbai Municipal Corporation by trying to create misunderstandings among Marathi speaking people over the decision to learn Hindi and by unnecessarily creating an atmosphere against North Indians. Before that his cousin Mr Raj Thackeray had already raised this issue. The UBT faction suddenly awakened after Raj Thackeray took up the issue.

Uddhav Thackeray had to appeal to his brother for a reunion, who had been forced to leave the party 19 years ago. During this period there were many reports of these two brothers coming together.

However, Uddhav Thackeray had no interest in shaking hands with his brother then. There seems to be no remorse for Uddhav Thackeray behind this sudden desire for joining hands with his brother whom he had often mocked for his political failures. So it must be said that the only reason behind this is the Mumbai Municipal corporation elections due in the next 6-7 months.

Uddhav Thackeray may have opted for the easy path of reunion as he is trapped in his own Chakravyuha and sees no other way out of it. In 2014, Uddhav Thackeray created a situation that put an end to the 25 year alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party by taking an adamant stand on seat sharing. Uddhav Thackeray had tried to reunite with Raj Thackeray at that time.

However, he suddenly changed his mind and decided to contest the assembly elections independently. After the formation of government under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray who had declared that they will work as an effective opposition party, took a u-turn within next 2-3 months and once again joined hands with Bharatiya Janata Party.

The journey that started from there reached the formation of a government in 2019 by joining hands with the Congress and Nationalist Congress party. The political landscape in the state changed once again after the collapse of the UBT government in coalition with Congress and NCP in two and half years. But Uddhav Thckeray decided to continue his alliance with Congress and NCP even after he was unable to save his government.

The unexpected narrative about changing the constitution in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections paved the way for the huge success of Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra. However, the bubble of false propaganda burst within 6 months and the Maha Vikas Aghadi was swept away in the assembly elections along with UBT.

In the backdrop of the recent joint rally held by Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray on the issue of Marathi it became necessary to review these events after 2019.

Even after joining the state government in 2014, Uddhav Thackeray had suddenly intensified his stand against Bharatiya Janata Party. Uddhav Thackeray, while enjoying power at both centre and state and simultaneously taking a constant stand against the Modi government and the state government, contested the Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections independently in 2017. He did not even hesitate to make statements like ‘we will finish Bharatiya Janata party’.

Even at that time, talks of two brothers coming together made some rounds. In the 2017 elections, voters dismissed Uddhav Thackeray’s all misconceptions about his political might in Mumbai.

In the 2024 assembly elections voters gave a big blow to Uddhav Thackeray. He has still not recovered from this setback and is now skeptical about the future course of his party. He, who has remained in power for consecutive 25-30 years in Mumbai Municipal Corporation, is afraid about his future in this election. Therefore, until 2-3 months ago, Uddhav Thackeray was faced with the dilemma of whether to remain in alliance with Congress and senior leader Sharad Pawar or fight independently.

Raj Thackeray’s comeback has added a new angle to this dilemma. Raj Thackeray’s personality and oratory skills will definitely overshadow Uddhav Thackeray. Unsure of how useful the help of the Congress and Sharad Pawar faction will be in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, UBT has started considering new options.

Today’s generation is greatly attracted towards concepts like live-in and situationship. Situationship is a popular concept in the lifestyle of this generation. This concept is born from the combination of two words: situation and relationship. Situationship simply means deciding whether to continue or end the relationship based on the situation.

UBT is now facing the dilemma to choose between his brother and MVA. Choosing Raj Thackeray is definitely advantageous for him and his supporters. However, the future of the reunion of MNS and UBT, in other words their relationship, will depend on whether in this situation Raj Thackeray will also benefit from this reunion or not. Shiv Sena Chief Balasaheb Thackeray won the 1985 municipal election on the basis of the issue of Marathi Manus and the future of Marathi Manus in Mumbai.

UBT is now dreaming of repeating the same result. But Uddhav Thackeray fails to understand the radical change between the situation back then and the current political scenario. Whether he was in power with Bharatiya Janata Party and MVA or out of power, UBT never felt the need of Raj Thackeray.

This election is definitely for the political existence of Uddhav Thackeray, who does not want to free Mumbai Municipal Corporation from his clutches. Therefore he has to consider all the possibilities before forming any coalition.

 

(Article Pre-Published in Times of India Online – 14 July, 2025) 

Keshav Upadhye, Chief Spokesperson