UBT-MNS Alliance? Not a Chance – Sandeep Deshpande’s Blistering Attack Exposes Desperation, Not Unity

X: @vivekbhavsar

Mumbai: The idea of a Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS alliance ahead of the BMC elections is not just improbable—it now appears laughable in the face of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Sandeep Deshpande’s scorching rebuttal. His tone was not of someone keeping the door open for negotiations but of a man slamming it shut violently.

Uddhav Thackeray may have sent so-called “positive signals” from the stage of his party’s anniversary rally, hinting at a possible reunion with Raj Thackeray’s MNS under the larger Hindutva umbrella. But Deshpande’s fiery response has punctured that balloon in public, on record, and with no room left for speculation.

Deshpande launched his attack from both the political and moral high ground. He reminded Uddhav Thackeray and his camp of their 2019 decision to join hands with Sharad Pawar and the Congress – not just without consulting the MNS, but without even taking their own Shiv Sainiks or corporators into confidence. “Did you ask anyone back then?” he thundered. “Did you hold meetings before sitting on Pawar’s lap?” This isn’t just political criticism – this is a scathing indictment of Uddhav’s ideological betrayal in the eyes of traditional Shiv Sena loyalists.

What makes this even more damning is Deshpande’s unfiltered questioning of the timing. He exposes the sudden love for the Thackeray brothers’ photo-ops as nothing more than a last-ditch attempt to cling to relevance. “Where was this enthusiasm when we proposed a tie-up in 2014?” he asks. “Why was there silence then? Why didn’t your workers respond?” MNS views Uddhav’s current overtures as born not out of principle, but out of political weakness.

The tone of Deshpande’s remarks is openly accusatory. He recalls how just four months ago, Sanjay Raut – Uddhav’s chief spin doctor – was mocking MNS for using Balasaheb Thackeray’s images. “What changed in four months?” Deshpande asks. “Why the sudden positivity?” The implication is sharp: UBT’s leadership is not driven by ideological commitment but by electoral desperation. If Uddhav Thackeray had 60 MLAs today, would he even look at MNS? Deshpande leaves that question hanging, but the answer is obvious.

Also Read: Thackeray Cousins Reunion Unlikely: Deep Faultlines Make Uddhav-Raj Alliance Impossible

Crucially, Deshpande draws a red line: don’t try pressure politics with MNS. He repeatedly warns UBT leaders against forcing or emotionally manipulating the narrative to corner Raj Thackeray. MNS, he asserts, is not a pawn in anyone’s power struggle. “Raj Thackeray will take the right decision at the right time – no one should try to force our hand,” he says. This is not a vague statement; it is a strategic positioning – keeping political flexibility open, but on MNS’s terms, not UBT’s.

Deshpande also makes it clear that MNS’s priorities are issue-based, not alliance-based. He says opposition to Hindi imposition is more important than any electoral handshake. He wants to raise the voice of Maharashtra, not be dragged into the internal crisis of another party. That clear distinction reinforces the image of MNS as a self-driven, Maharashtra-first party, not a fallback option for a sinking ship.

The most brutal takeaway is this: Deshpande portrays Uddhav Thackeray’s attempt at outreach as a hypocritical, cynical, and insincere act. When power was in hand, UBT looked down on MNS. Now that the tide has turned, they want unity. Deshpande isn’t buying it – and he’s making sure the public doesn’t either.

This isn’t just political theatre. This is strategic messaging. Deshpande is speaking not only to UBT, but also to MNS’s base, and to the broader Marathi electorate. He’s sending a message of strength, of independence, and of clarity – that MNS won’t be a lifeboat for a drowning ship.

The dream of a UBT–MNS alliance before the BMC elections is dead on arrival. Deshpande’s blistering takedown confirms that there is no genuine ground, no mutual trust, and no political logic for such a tie-up to materialise before polls. If anything, Uddhav Thackeray’s overtures may have only widened the rift, by exposing just how far his party has drifted from its roots.