The Shiv Sena (UBT) is confronting a significant internal challenge in its traditional stronghold of Worli, where rebellions have erupted in four out of six municipal wards. This development poses a serious test for the party and its alliance partner, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), especially since Worli is the assembly constituency of the party's prominent leader, Aaditya Thackeray. Winning here is now a major prestige issue for the coalition.
Roots of the Rebellion: Family Tickets vs. Party Workers
The core of the discontent stems from the party's decision to allocate tickets to family members of established leaders, sidelining long-time dedicated workers, known as karyakartas. This move has sparked widespread anger, leading several slighted functionaries to file their nominations as independent candidates, directly challenging the official alliance nominees.
Political observers note that this widespread rebellion could drastically alter the electoral equations in the affected wards. It remains uncertain whether the Shiv Sena (UBT) can replicate the success of the undivided Shiv Sena in the 2017 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election and retain control over Worli.
A Ward-by-Ward Breakdown of the Revolt
The rebellion is concentrated in wards 193, 194, 196, and 197 within the Worli assembly segment. The rebels, who are primarily long-standing party workers, have refused to withdraw their nominations after being denied official tickets.
In Ward No. 194, the party fielded Nishikant Shinde, brother of Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Sunil Shinde. In response, local party functionary Sonal (Shailaja) Pawar rebelled and filed her papers as an independent.
The scenario in Ward No. 196 is similar. Here, Padmaja Chemburkar, wife of former corporator Ashish Chemburkar, is the official candidate. Challenging her is Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary Sangeeta Jagtap, who is contesting as an independent.
For Ward No. 193 in Worli Koliwada, the party chose former deputy mayor Hemangi Worlikar. This decision angered local shakha pramukh Suryakant Koli, who has now entered the fray as a rebel independent candidate.
In Ward No. 197, the alliance candidate is MNS's Rachna Salvi. However, Shrawani Desai, wife of former corporator Parashuram Desai, is contesting independently, adding another layer of complexity.
High Stakes for Thackeray and the Alliance
The battle for Worli is a crucial test for the Sena (UBT)-MNS combine, but the pressure is particularly intense on the Shiv Sena (UBT). As political analysts point out, Worli is not just a party bastion but also the constituency of Aaditya Thackeray. The 2024 alliance with MNS, which previously contested against the Sena (UBT), is expected to lead to a consolidation of votes. However, the final outcome will heavily depend on the vote share the rebel independents manage to secure.
The electoral history of Worli highlights the shifting dynamics. In his political debut during the 2019 assembly polls, Aaditya Thackeray, the first Thackeray family member to contest an election, secured a massive victory with a margin of over 70,000 votes against NCP's Suresh Mane.
However, the landscape has changed. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Arvind Sawant managed a lead of only 6,715 votes from the Worli assembly segment. More recently, in the 2024 assembly polls, Aaditya Thackeray's victory margin shrunk significantly; he won his Worli seat by just 8,801 votes against Shiv Sena's Milind Deora.
This narrowing margin, combined with the current internal rebellion, sets the stage for a highly competitive and closely watched contest in what was once considered an impregnable fortress for the party.
