Zeeshan Kaskar 
On the fateful morning of June 21, 2022, when Eknath Shinde was gathering as many Shiv Sena MLAs as he could to topple the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra, hardly anyone would have thought that an ailing Uddhav Thackeray would emerge as the fiercest opposition voice against Narendra Modi during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign.
“In 2013, before he became prime minister, Modi said that Maa Ganga has adopted him. Today, I want to ask him: Did you not see the tears in the same Ganga Maa’s eyes when bodies were floating during the COVID-19 era?” Uddhav Thackeray asked during an election rally in Palghar.
His speeches raised concerns over various issues. He constantly reminded his listeners about the demonetisation crisis, due to which hundreds of people died” while standing in the queue. Criticism of Modi’s 2016 demonetisation exercise comes naturally to the former Maharashtra chief minister as he has been a critic of it since 2017.
The core issues
As the country enters the fifth phase of the general election, all eyes turn to Maharashtra’s 13 seats. This will be the last polling phase in Maharashtra. Significantly, all of Mumbai, Thane, and Nashik’s seats go to polls on May 20, 2024.
Prime Minister Modi, who conducted nine rallies in Maharashtra during the 2019 Lok Sabha election, has already done more than 20 rallies in the state. Maharashtra with 48 seats has the second-highest number in the country. PM Modi’s increased visits to Maharashtra shows the impact Uddhav Thackeray has had on the election campaign in the state.
Thackeray has announced that Modi’s rally with Raj Thackeray at Shivaji Park on May 17 would be “his last as PM.” Modi’s campaign in Maharashtra has primarily involved criticising Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar. From calling them the “Nakali Sena” to referring to them as “Bhatakti Aatma,” these remarks have not been well-received by the voters of Maharashtra, who already sympathize with Pawar and Thackeray.
On the contrary, Uddhav Thackeray is also on an all-out attack, but he focuses on substantive issues. For example, at his Palghar rally, Thackeray highlighted the struggles of individuals who, starting their adult lives at 25, now find themselves at 35 without stable employment.
He questioned the prolonged period of economic uncertainty and the lack of job opportunities. He also criticised the increasing reliance on contract labour, pointing out the absence of full-time job security, which leaves many workers in a precarious position.
“Why are most of your policies labelled as ‘black laws?” Uddhav asked.
He referenced the controversial Agniveer scheme as an example, questioning its effectiveness and the government’s commitment to meaningful employment reforms. Through these points, Thackeray aimed to resonate with the frustrations of the electorate, particularly the unemployed youth, and position himself as a champion for their rights and future.
Thackeray’s last phase of campaigning will happen in Mumbai, but before that Thackeray’s Thane campaign was where he became the most aggressive. Known as chief minister Eknath Shinde’s bastion, Uddhav Thackeray has fielded his old, trusted leader, Thane’s strongman, Rajan Vichare.
Thane and Kalyan are two seats where Shinde’s Sena seems to be posing a threat to Thackeray, but Uddhav’s resilient campaigning may turn the tide in UBT’s favour.
At the Thane rally, Uddhav Thackeray spoke about how his version of Hindutva differs from that of the BJP. “As per our Hindutva, we burn stoves, not houses,” Thackeray said in Thane.
“Modi always talks of gaee (cow), but never talks of mehengaaee (inflation),” he added. During his speech, he urged the crowd to read about Savarkar’s views on cow.
Observers say that Uddhav Thackeray is taking ahead the legacy of his grandfather, writer Prabodhankar Thackeray, whose brand of Hindutva is constructed to be called as “Bahujan Hindutva”.
‘Team Sena’
Although Uddhav Thackeray is leading the INDIA alliance in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena’s leadership is on a constant campaign mode, attacking BJP’s policies.
Number one on this list is Aditya Thackeray. The youngest Thackeray has been giving interviews and standing firmly behind his father since July 2022, when Eknath Shinde toppled the MVA. Next is Sanjay Raut, who doesn’t go a single day without conducting a press conference. His constant rebuttals to the BJP can sometimes be jarring, but they are also necessary when misinformation is so prevalent.
Then, the last two names on this list are Sushma Andhare and MLA Bhaskar Jadhav. Andhare, who was associated with various progressive outfits before 2019, has become a female face of the party. She goes to interior villages of Maharashtra to campaign for INDIA alliance candidates. She speaks the language of social justice, which resonates with the majority Marathi-speaking population. Finally, seven-term MLA Bhaskar Jadhav’s impact has extended well beyond the Konkan region, where he belongs. Since Shinde formed a new government with the help of the BJP, Bhaskar Jadhav is revered by Shiv Sainiks for “standing behind Uddhav Thackeray during tough times.” His direct and humorous attacks on Modi, Shah, and Fadnavis garner millions of views on social media.
The Maharashtra voters still remember Uddhav’s COVID-19 management. According to an RTI response, an impressive 22.50 lakh new MSMEs were registered in Maharashtra between July 2020 and March 2023. This resulted in creation of nearly 1.12 crore new jobs, indicating significant economic growth and increased employment opportunities within the state during the MVA rule.
Uddhav Thackeray’s anti-Modi rhetoric is not just noise, but also some numbers and emotion. With all the sympathy backing him and the support of some new-found allies, will he emerge to be a star in this Lok Sabha elections?