Should Uddhav have been Chief Minister face of MVA? Aaditya Thackeray responds

With just days left for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray weighed in on a question gripping the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance’s electoral strategy: Should Uddhav Thackeray have been projected as the Chief Ministerial face of the alliance?
In a conversation with India Today TV in Worli, Mumbai, Aaditya spoke about the political and symbolic value of such a move. He emphasised that a clear and trusted leader can galvanise the people of Maharashtra and strengthen the alliance’s appeal, as he called his father, Uddhav Thackeray, the “most trusted” leader in the state.
He referenced internal surveys and public sentiment trackers, which consistently indicate Uddhav’s strong credibility among the electorate.
“Yes, all our trackers, all our surveys are showing that if Uddhavji is projected as a face, he is the most trusted person in the state today,” Aaditya said, underscoring the symbolic weight his father’s leadership carries.
However, Aaditya was quick to clarify that for his father, this election was not about ambition or personal gain. “This is not a personal battle, this is not a battle for any personal ambition. This is about Maharashtra itself,” he said.
While the popularity and trust in Uddhav Thackeray could give the alliance a strategic edge, the focus remains on what’s best for Maharashtra, not on a particular leader’s aspirations, he asserted.
“Having said that, it is neither his personal ambition nor his desire to take any post. It is about winning people’s hearts,” Aaditya emphasised.
Aaditya Thackeray is contesting the Maharashtra Assembly elections from Worli constituency in what has been dubbed a high-voltage contest as he will take on Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora.
Deora left Congress and joined the Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction ahead of the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year.