Maharashtra Chessboard: Uddhav Thackeray Eyes Political Revival

Fadnavis Seeks Uddhav’s Return to NDA as Maharashtra’s Political Landscape Prepares for a Realignment Before Mumbai Polls

By MANISH ANAND

NEW DELHI, July 19, 2025 — Maharashtra politics continues to live up to its newly earned reputation, with political actors still hunched over the chessboard. Despite a resounding mandate for the Mahayuti in the Assembly elections last year, the constituents of the ruling alliance are seen seeking safeguards for the future.

First, the Thackeray cousins embraced each other after two decades. A once-dormant Raj Thackeray is now politically active again, indulging in his trademark rhetoric.

The next significant move on Maharashtra’s political chessboard came from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who invited Uddhav Thackeray to return to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Uddhav’s faction, Shiv Sena (UBT), is currently a key component of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Over the past few years, Uddhav has been a sharp critic of the BJP, while his party leaders have aligned closely with the Congress on the national stage.

Uddhav received Fadnavis’ outreach with interest. He met the Chief Minister along with his son, Aaditya Thackeray. Political observers in Maharashtra believe Uddhav has long harboured ambitions to secure a lasting political legacy for Aaditya. A senior BJP functionary claimed that assurances on Aaditya’s political future had previously been conveyed to Uddhav by top BJP leaders.

The Fadnavis-Uddhav meeting also reflects the growing discomfort between Fadnavis and his former protégé, Eknath Shinde, who is now the Deputy Chief Minister. In his second term as CM, Fadnavis has ordered probes into several decisions made by Shinde during his tenure as Chief Minister and has annulled a few of them.

The immediate catalyst for this high-stakes political maneuvering is the upcoming Mumbai municipal elections. With its massive budget and influence, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is arguably the most politically significant civic body in India. According to Mumbai-based political observers, control over the BMC requires the endorsement of one of the Shiv Sena factions, which still command street-level political clout.

In what appears to be a strategic attempt to checkmate Shinde, Fadnavis seems to be cultivating a Uddhav buffer. Meanwhile, Uddhav himself faces looming political irrelevance, with his party out of power both at the state and the Centre. This loss of access to power has reportedly led to fatigue and dwindling morale among party workers.

Uddhav’s shift to a secular political stance had distanced him from the legacy of his father, Bal Thackeray—widely revered as a Hindu Hriday Samrat and a champion of the Maratha working class. A potential return to the BJP fold could help Uddhav realign with his father’s Hindutva legacy and regain political traction.

From the BJP’s perspective, the overture to Uddhav may signal confidence that the party has finally “tamed the tiger” and blunted its claws. Uddhav had been a docile ally during Fadnavis’ first term as CM, and BJP leaders may believe he could adopt an even more subdued role if brought back into the NDA. This would allow Fadnavis to assert his own political identity and strengthen his brand in state politics.

(This is an opinion piece. The views expressed are those of the author.)

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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