Uddhav Thackeray's Identity Politics: A Flawed Strategy for Victory

• Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) secured 65 corporators in BMC, avoiding an existential crisis despite the party split and only 20 assembly seats in 2024.
• The UBT Sena's campaign, heavily reliant on 'Marathi Manoos' and 'Gaddar' jibes, failed to secure a decisive victory in the BMC polls.
• Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) allied with UBT Sena but only secured 6 seats, hindering Uddhav's overall performance.
• Experts suggest that identity politics, while generating traction, requires a strong governance and development agenda to achieve long-term success.
• The BJP-Eknath Shinde Shiv Sena alliance won by focusing on infrastructure and civic facilities, appealing to a broader voter base beyond identity.

Why It Matters: Identity-based campaigns alone are insufficient for political victory without a strong development agenda.