Uddhav Thackeray Still Resonates in Mumbai Despite BMC Setback

• The BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) alliance led in 128 wards in the BMC elections, while the Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS-NCP(SP) alliance led in 68 wards.
• Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) led in 59 of the 160 seats it contested, showing a marginally better strike rate than the Shinde faction.
• Despite losing senior leaders, the party symbol, and organizational machinery, the Thackeray brand continues to resonate with Mumbai voters.
• Uddhav's campaign focused on reclaiming Sena's identity and portraying the 2022 split as a betrayal, retaining support in traditional bastions.
• The Shinde faction's relatively weak performance raises questions about its real support base and its claim as the true inheritor of the Shiv Sena legacy.

Why It Matters: Uddhav Thackeray maintains significant influence in Mumbai politics despite BMC election losses.