Mumbai: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut announced on Saturday that the party would contest the upcoming municipal elections in Mumbai and Nagpur independently. The decision marks a significant move amid visible tensions within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Raut, a senior party member and Rajya Sabha MP, stated, “We will fight on our own, whatever happens, will happen. We have to see for ourselves. Uddhav Thackeray has given us a signal.” He also confirmed that discussions on the strategy were held with Pramod Manmode, the Nagpur unit chief of Sena (UBT).
The announcement comes at a crucial time as municipal elections in Maharashtra’s two major cities are seen as a litmus test for the Uddhav-led Shiv Sena (UBT), following the split with the Eknath Shinde faction. Observers suggest that the decision to go solo could impact the dynamics of the MVA alliance and reshape political equations in the state.
