Following the Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) defeat in the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve indicated that a significant faction within the party believes it may be time for Shiv Sena (UBT) to contest future elections alone. Danve emphasized that the party's focus is not solely on acquiring power but staying true to its ideological roots. He stated,
"There is a feeling among a large section of the party to contest the elections independently. It is immaterial whether Shiv Sena (UBT) gets power or not. The party was not born to seize power. It is a party that works on an ideology." This sentiment hints at a potential split in the alliance, signaling a shift in the party’s strategy moving forward.
The MVA, comprising the Shiv Sena(UBT), the Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP-SP, failed to repeat its Lok Sabha poll performance bagging just 46 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly. The Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena won just 20 seats, highest among the MVA partners. The Congress got 16 and the NCP-SP won 10 seats.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti won 230 seats in the 288-member assembly elections. Of these, the BJP alone bagged 132 seats. Among other partners in Mahayuti, Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 57 seats, while Ajit Pawar’s NCP won 41 seats.