NEW DELHI: Alleging intimidation, coercion and unprecedented political pressure, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday launched a scathing attack against the Mahayuti over the BMC elections, calling the January 15 civic polls a “strange” contest fought as a matter of political survival by his opponents.Addressing a press conference, Thackeray alleged that the ruling alliance left no method unused to secure a victory. “This election was very strange. It felt like this was a life-and-death election for them. They opted for all methods, from cash to kidnapping our candidates; they forced candidates to withdraw their nominations,” he said.
The UBT president also raised questions over the voting process and claimed he had received several complaints from citizens about their names missing from the voter lists. He said the results at many locations were “surprising” and did not match ground-level expectations. “Where did those numbers come from? Was it from some party office? Before counting numbers were seen on TV. In future, there will be no EVM, and the direct results will be declared. I have received several complaints from voters that their names were missing from the voter list. At various locations, the results are surprising. I had doubts about the exit polls,” said Thackeray.Despite the Mahayuti alliance of the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena clinching a majority, Thackeray said the outcome reflected the resilience of Shiv Sena (UBT) on the ground. Thanking voters who stood firm despite alleged attempts to intimidate them, he said, “Voters are the saviours of democracy,” and added that those who were not scared showed that the “strength of Shiv Sena UBT” remains intact.Thackeray expressed deep gratitude to citizens who backed the Shiv Shakti Alliance, a first-time collaboration between his faction of the Shiv Sena and his cousin Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). He also apologised for not being able to campaign in all areas. “Yesterday, election results were announced. I could not visit many locations to campaign, but we got a good response at several places. I would at first apologise to voters where I was unable to reach. I thank those who voted for Shiv Shakti Alliance (with MNS),” he said.“The wish to have our Mayor wasn’t fulfilled, but the results have definitely shown the strength of Shiv Sena UBT,” Thackeray added.The 2026 BMC elections marked a historic political shift, ending nearly three decades of Thackeray family dominance over India’s richest civic body. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, while the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance crossed the halfway mark with 118 seats.Shiv Sena (UBT) secured 65 seats, polling 7,17,736 votes, which accounted for 13.13 per cent of the total votes cast. The MNS won six seats with 74,946 votes and a 1.37 per cent vote share. The Indian National Congress secured 24 seats, polling 2,42,646 votes, or 4.44 per cent of the vote share.Meanwhile, following the Mahayuti’s victory, political activity has intensified in Mumbai. Sources said the Shinde-led Shiv Sena has moved its newly elected corporators to a hotel in Bandra amid power negotiations. The party is also likely to demand the Mayor’s post in the BMC, reportedly as part of celebrations marking the centenary year of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, whose 100th birth anniversary falls on January 23.
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