Big jolt to Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar in Maharashtra's battle of prestige

Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray and NCP Sharad Pawar (PTI file photo)

The Maharashtra assembly elections delivered a big setback to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar, reshaping the state's political landscape.

In the battle for Shiv Sena’s legacy, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction, which is in possession of the Shiv Sena name and symbol, has emerged as the “true” Shiv Sena in the eyes of the voters.

As per the trends till 3pm, the Shinde-led Sena was leading in over 55 constituencies while Uddhav's faction was ahead in 20 seats.

Uddhav Thackeray, who had lost his party’s name and symbol in a bitter legal and political tussle, had appealed emotionally to voters for “justice” he claimed the courts denied him. However, the election results have deepened his political and identity crisis, leaving his faction struggling to remain a key player in state politics.

Senior Pawar's struggle

Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra's 84-year-old political icon, is no stranger to shaping state's destiny. But ever since his party broke, he has been fighting a 'personal' battle for survival of his party. His efforts bore fruit in the Lok Sabha polls 2024, where his faction won eight out of 10 seats it contested.

Following his loss of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) name, symbol, and most of his MLAs to his nephew Ajit Pawar earlier in 2024, this election was a test of his influence.

Unfortunately for the senior Pawar, the state assembly results favored Ajit’s BJP-backed faction, solidifying it as the dominant NCP.

This electoral defeat may mark the end of an era for Sharad Pawar, whose efforts to reclaim the party he founded 26 years ago fell short. But the message from voters was clear: Ajit Pawar’s NCP is the real NCP.