Although the party retained its strongholds in Kalyan and Thane Lok Sabha seats, it failed to win over half of the contested seats.
On June 30, 2022, Eknath Shinde reached the pinnacle of his political career by assuming the role of Maharashtra Chief Minister after parting ways with Uddhav Thackeray. Shinde’s unexpected elevation to the CM’s post by the BJP was believed to be a strategic move aimed at maximising electoral gains in the Lok Sabha elections.
However, two years later, Shinde appears to have disappointed the BJP, managing to secure only six out of the 15 seats it contested in Maharashtra.
Although the party retained its strongholds in Kalyan and Thane Lok Sabha seats, it failed to win over half of the contested seats, losing to candidates from Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on eight seats in direct contests between the two factions of Sena. In this showdown, Shinde’s faction secured victory on only five out of the 13 LS seats, while Sena UBT triumphed on 8 seats.
This electoral outcome marks a significant challenge for Shinde and his faction, especially considering their assertion of being the true Shiv Sena, endorsed by the Election Commission during the rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray.
With the party unable to secure even half of the contested seats, doubts arise regarding Shinde’s leadership and the acceptance of his faction as the authentic Shiv Sena by the voters.
