'Break ties with Uddhav Thackeray': All India Ulema Board puts pressure on Congress, Sharad Pawar  

The All India Ulema Board has urged the Congress and Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to sever their alliance with Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT). The board criticised Shiv Sena (UBT) for publishing banners on December 6 celebrating the demolition of the Babri Masjid, despite the Muslim community's support for the party in recent Lok Sabha and assembly elections.  

"We demand that Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP break their alliance with Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena faction," said Maulana Bunei Hafiz, General Secretary of the All India Ulema Board. "This is because the All India Ulema Board, along with the Muslim community, is united with this (MVA) alliance." Hafiz also noted that Shiv Sena (UBT) won 20 assembly seats in Muslim-majority regions.  

On December 6, Milind Narvekar, a close aide of Uddhav Thackeray and an MLC, stirred controversy by sharing an image of the Babri Masjid demolition on X (formerly Twitter) with the quote, "I am proud of those who did it," attributed to Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray.  

This move provoked backlash from Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies, with Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi announcing his party's withdrawal from the MVA. Azmi expressed strong disapproval of the Shiv Sena (UBT)'s stance, particularly given the sensitivity of the issue within the alliance's voter base.  

Political analysts suggest this marks a shift in Shiv Sena (UBT)'s approach as it prepares for upcoming civic elections and grapples with a weakened voter base after its alliance with Congress. The Thackeray-led faction, which severed ties with the BJP in 2019 to form the MVA, has struggled to maintain its traditional support while balancing its alliance with Congress and the NCP.  

In the 2019 assembly polls, Shiv Sena (UBT) contested 95 seats but managed to secure only 20 in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly. In Mumbai, it won 10 of the 24 seats it contested, signaling erosion in its core voter base.  

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections offered mixed results for the party. Although it won four of six seats in Mumbai, it struggled in constituencies that once formed its stronghold. For instance, in Worli, Aaditya Thackeray retained his seat with a margin of less than 7,000 votes.  

The BJP has accused Shiv Sena (UBT) of relying heavily on minority votes, citing the party’s vague positions on contentious issues such as the Uniform Civil Code and the Waqf Board Amendment Bill. These factors, combined with disappointing performances in recent elections, have raised questions about the party’s strategy as it prepares for the long-delayed civic polls in cities like Mumbai.  

Observers note that the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s celebration of the Babri Masjid demolition may be an attempt to reconnect with its traditional 'Marathi manoos' voter base, which has been critical of its alliance with ideologically divergent parties like Congress and the NCP.