Political Tensions Escalate Between Uddhav Thackeray and Devendra Fadnavis Ahead of Maharashtra Assembly Elections

Mumbai, 5th August 2024: As the Maharashtra Assembly elections approach, tensions between former allies Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have escalated. Their exchanges have become increasingly hostile and personal.

On Saturday, Uddhav Thackeray launched harsh criticisms against Fadnavis in meetings held in Pune and Mumbai, comparing him to a “bed bug” that needs to be eliminated and a “watermelon” that should be discarded in potholes.

In response, Fadnavis retorted in Nagpur, suggesting it’s best to disregard individuals who have “lost their mental balance.” He accused Thackeray of frustration and described his language as indicative of his association with an “Aurangazeb fan club.”

The verbal clash intensified following allegations by NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader and former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. Deshmukh claimed he was coerced by Fadnavis into implicating Uddhav and his son Aaditya in false cases in exchange for leniency in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and CBI investigations. Uddhav seized upon this, declaring that either he or Fadnavis would remain in politics.

Uddhav’s close aides believe he is particularly driven to confront rivals when his family is involved, perceiving the BJP as targeting him.

Political rivalry in Maharashtra is not unusual during election times, but the transformation from allies to adversaries between Fadnavis and Uddhav is notable. Their relationship, once marked by mutual support during the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition government from 2014 to 2019, deteriorated significantly after their split.

The turning point for Uddhav came in 2022 with the rebellion led by Eknath Shinde, which resulted in the collapse of the Uddhav-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Uddhav viewed Fadnavis and the BJP central leadership as instrumental in the party split.

Since then, relations have soured, with Uddhav derogatorily referring to Fadnavis as “useless” last year. Fadnavis countered by asserting his resilience and importance.

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule attributes Uddhav’s attacks to Fadnavis’s prominent role in the BJP and his perceived threat to opponents. Meanwhile, some BJP strategists are not surprised by Uddhav’s rhetoric, noting that while Fadnavis has generally been restrained, a reactive stance is sometimes warranted.