Maharashtra election 2024: How Amit Thackeray's candidacy from Mahim has led to a discord within Mahayuti

Amit Thackeray, son of Raj Thackeray

Somebody wants to return a favour. Somebody wants to secure his political career, and somebody wants to launch his son in electoral politics.

There are three different parties with a common ideology, but their interests are clashing over a single issue: the candidature of Amit Thackeray from the Mahim assembly constituency of Mumbai. Raj Thackeray's party, the MNS, has fielded his son for the seat, which has resulted in discord within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

The Mahim seat has been a stronghold of the Shiv Sena since 1990, except for five years when the MNS won it in 2009. Shiv Sena candidate Sada Sarwankar has been winning the seat. Known as a hardcore follower of Bal Thackeray, Sarwankar quit Uddhav Thackeray's leadership in June 2022 and joined Eknath Shinde's camp. The Shiv Sena, led by Shinde, once again announced Sarwankar as its candidate from Mahim. However, a twist in the story came when the MNS also announced Amit Thackeray as a candidate for the same seat.

Although the MNS is not an alliance partner of the Mahayuti, the BJP doesn’t want to challenge junior Thackeray’s political debut by fielding a candidate. However, as per the Mahayuti’s seat-sharing arrangement, the Mahim seat has been assigned to Shinde’s Sena, which has announced Sarwankar's candidacy. Ashish Shelar, the Mumbai BJP chief, has urged Eknath Shinde to withdraw Sarwankar’s candidacy. The BJP has a soft corner for the MNS because, during the Lok Sabha polls, Raj Thackeray announced his party’s unconditional support for the BJP "to make Modi PM again." Now, the BJP not only wants to return the favor but also expects tacit support from the MNS in the upcoming elections. However, Sarwankar’s candidacy does not align with the BJP's perspective.

Under pressure from the BJP, Eknath Shinde is willing to withdraw Sarwankar’s candidacy, but Sarwankar is unwilling. People close to Sarwankar claim he has already taken a risk by leaving Uddhav Thackeray and joining Shinde. However, if he exits the contest on Shinde's instructions, it could jeopardize his political career. On Sunday evening, a two-hour-long meeting was held at the CM's official bungalow, Varsha, between Fadnavis and Shinde to reach a solution.
On the rival side, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has given candidacy to Mahesh Sawant against Amit Thackeray from the seat, notwithstanding that Raj Thackeray did not field any candidate against Aditya Thackeray, who first contested from Worli in 2019.