Aaditya Thackeray stakes claim to both RS seats for Sena (UBT); says party MLAs back demand

“Whether it is national interest, Maharashtra’s interest, the so-called Adanisation of Mumbai or Dharavi, or environmental degradation, both our MPs have always been at the forefront of the INDIA alliance’s fight to protect the Constitution,” he said.

Stating that the demand was not merely personal but reflected the party’s internal view, Thackeray added, “It is the opinion of the party and all our MLAs that both these seats should belong to Shiv Sena (UBT).”

His remarks come at a time when discussions are underway within the MVA over the allocation of seats for the upcoming biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha. They also follow comments by Sanjay Raut suggesting that if Nationalist Congress Party founder Sharad Pawar expressed a willingness to contest, the alliance would need to deliberate on it.

Raut later said he was “bound by the party’s decision” and that any candidature would be decided by the leadership. Against this backdrop, Thackeray’s categorical assertion signals that the Sena (UBT) is unlikely to concede its claim easily as alliance negotiations gather pace.