Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday asserted that his party will reclaim lost political ground in Maharashtra’s coastal Konkan region, where it suffered setbacks in last year’s Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections.
Taking a swipe at the rival faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Thackeray firmly stated, “There is only one Shiv Sena, and it is led by me.”
Speaking at his Bandra residence ‘Matoshri’, the former Chief Minister emphasized that Maharashtra currently needs the Shiv Sena (UBT) more than ever, describing it as the only political party in the state that stays true to its word and fulfills its promises.
During the event, Mumbai Congress leader Sahdev Petkar re-joined the Shiv Sena (UBT), bolstering the party’s efforts to revive its base.
“We will reclaim Konkan. The election results in Konkan were unexpected. People may be misled once, but not every time,” Thackeray said.
The Shiv Sena (UBT), a key component of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), managed to win nine Lok Sabha seats across Maharashtra last year. However, it failed to secure victories in its traditional strongholds of coastal Raigad and Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, which went to the NCP and BJP, respectively.
In the Assembly elections held in November 2024, the party’s performance in Konkan was dismal, managing to win only one seat — Guhagar. It was virtually wiped out from South Konkan, where the faction led by Eknath Shinde gained significant ground.
The electoral setbacks triggered a wave of defections from the Shiv Sena (UBT), with several leaders from the region, including former MLA Rajan Salvi, switching allegiance to the ruling Shinde faction.
Reassuring party workers, Thackeray announced plans to tour the entire Konkan belt — stretching from Mumbai to Sindhudurg — with an aim to reinvigorate the cadre and restore the party’s dominance in a region where the united Shiv Sena once held considerable influence.
