UBT faces exodus crisis, Uddhav Thackeray calls urgent meeting

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The SHS UBT is facing a growing crisis as members continue to leave the party. Last week, former mayors Nandkumar Ghodele and Anita Ghodele, once close to senior leader Chandrakant Khaire, joined the Shinde faction, declaring "Jai Maharashtra." Now, there are rumors that 11 to 12 more corporators and office-bearers may also quit, further weakening the party in city.

To stem the tide, UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray has called an urgent meeting on Thursday at his Mumbai residence, Matoshree. The meeting will bring together former corporators, deputy city chiefs, deputy district chiefs and other key office-bearers from the city. The aim is to address grievances, reassure loyalty and chart a path to avoid further defections.

The crisis has been brewing since last year’s Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, where Uddhav Sena candidates suffered significant regional defeats. The party, in a bid to bolster its ranks, had welcomed aspirants from other political groups ahead of the Vidhan Sabha elections. However, many of these new entrants failed to secure victories and are now reportedly reconsidering their association with the party. In the wake of the Ghodele couple’s defection, senior leader Chandrakant Khaire has been holding a series of meetings with disgruntled members to calm tensions. MLC Ambadas Danve, has also been making personal visits to the homes of key corporators in an attempt to salvage their loyalty. Political analysts see Thursday’s meeting as a crucial moment for Uddhav Thackeray to reaffirm his leadership and prevent the party’s foundation in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar from crumbling further. Whether this move can halt the exodus remains to be seen, as whispers of more defections continue to grow louder.