The Shiv Sena may have emerged as an important political party in the State, but its vote share is down to 16.44% in 2019 from 19.35% in 2014.
The Sena has won 56 seats, as against 62 in 2014. However, with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) numbers having dwindled, the Sena has grown in importance.
The 2014 Assembly elections were fought separately by Sena and BJP, at the end of which the Sena won 62 seats and BJP won 122. The Sena had held sway in Mumbai and Konkan, winning 14 seats in each region. The two parties had sealed a pre-election alliance this time round. The Sena’s tally stands at 56, six seats lower than in 2014. It has seen a dip in its vote share as well.
The party’s star candidate, Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray, won from the Worli constituency by a margin of 67,427 votes, which will instil more confidence in the Sena. Not only is he the first Thackeray to contest any election, but he is also the Sena’s face for chief ministership or deputy chief ministership.
Eye-opener: Uddhav
“This election is an eye-opener for all political parties. The people of Maharashtra keep their parties rooted to the ground. I am proud that people have kept democracy alive. We are proud of Aaditya, who is forging ahead in politics on his own. I bow before the people of Maharashtra,” Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said, at a press conference.
The Sena has maintained its 14 seats in Mumbai, with most sitting MLAs winning this time. However, it faced a massive upset in Bandra East, where Matoshree, the Thackeray residence, is located. The party was unable to quell the rebellion of sitting MLA Trupti Sawant, who as an Independent won around 23,000 votes. She caused a division of Sena votes in the area, leading to the defeat of Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar and the victory of the Congress’s Zeeshan Siddiqui.
In Konkan, the Kankavli seat had become a flashpoint between the Sena and BJP after former Shiv Sainik Narayan Rane joined the BJP despite the Sena’s opposition and his son Nitesh was fielded by the BJP from the seat. The Sena had gone against the BJP and fielded Satish Sawant, who lost by 28,116 seats.
In North Maharashtra, the Sena lost its three existing seats in Deolali, Sinnar and Niphad. However, Sena candidate Suhas Kande defeated the NCP’s Pankaj Bhujbal by 13,889 votes in Nandgaon.
In western Maharashtra and Vidarbha, the Sena had a subdued performance. However, in Marathwada, the party won 13 seats as against nine in 2014.
