“Uddhav Thackeray to vote for Congress for first time”

This time, there is a flaming torch (Shiv Sena UBT’s election symbol) in Congress’s hand, Thackeray said

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has said that for the first time in his life, he will be voting for the Congress. This time, there is a flaming torch (Shiv Sena UBT’s election symbol) in Congress’s hand, he said on Friday.

Matoshree, the iconic residence of the Thackeray family, sits in Kalanagar, nestled within Bandra East, falling within the Mumbai North Central constituency. Previously, this area was part of the Mumbai North-West constituency. However, as per the recent delimitation, its boundaries have shifted. In the political chessboard of Maharashtra, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), and Congress, has divvied up seats. Mumbai North Central has been entrusted to Congress, which has put forward former minister Varsha Gaikwad as its candidate.

During a notable media exchange at Matoshree, attended by varsha Gaikwad, Thackeray extended his party’s support to her candidature. He expressed, “Varsha Gaikwad will secure my vote in this upcoming Lok Sabha election. It’s a significant shift, as I’ll be casting my vote in Favor of the Congress symbol for the first time.” This gesture symbolizes a passing of the torch from Shiv Sena to Congress, as Thackeray remarked, “Shiv Sena’s legacy now rests with Congress. We eagerly await the outcome, ready to herald our triumph.”

Traditionally, Thackeray had aligned with either Shiv Sena or BJP candidates, owing to the enduring alliance between Shiv Sena and BJP under the NDA banner in Maharashtra. However, with the dissolution of this alliance, Thackeray has forged new ties within the MVA coalition, positioning it as part of the opposition bloc at the national level. As per the MVA’s consensus, Shiv Sena will contest four key seats in Mumbai, namely Mumbai South, Mumbai North, Mumbai South Central, and Mumbai North East, while Congress will vie for Mumbai North and Mumbai North Central. Notably, the NCP (SP) under Sharad Pawar’s leadership has opted out of the electoral fray in Mumbai, choosing to focus its efforts elsewhere.