Are we really together?' Uddhav Thackeray flags MVA unity after MPs switch sides

The Maha Vikas Aghadi’s attempt to project unity ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly’s Monsoon Session ended up exposing its internal fault lines instead. At a high-stakes meeting in Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray openly questioned the alliance’s cohesion, asking: “We say we are together, but are we really?”

His remarks came days after a major setback for his party, with six MPs breaking away from his faction, adding to concerns over the opposition bloc’s ability to stay united at a critical political moment.

According to sources, while the defections cast a shadow over the discussions, they were not directly addressed. The focus instead remained on preventing further exits and strengthening coordination within the alliance ahead of the legislative session.

The meeting also turned into an exercise in introspection following MVA’s poor performance in the recent MLC elections, where the ruling Mahayuti alliance secured all 17 seats, including six uncontested victories.

Senior leaders, including Sanjay Raut, Bhaskar Jadhav, Congress state president Harshawardhan Sapkal, Satej Patil and NCP state president Shashikant Shinde, stressed that opposition unity must go beyond statements and become visible through joint rallies, public outreach and coordinated floor strategy inside the Assembly.

However, attendance itself reflected the challenge ahead. Of the alliance’s 60 MLAs, only 37 attended the meeting, while 23 remained absent. Senior leaders Sharad Pawar and Jayant Patil also skipped the gathering, citing personal reasons.

The developments have raised fresh questions over whether the MVA can consolidate its ranks and emerge as an effective opposition force in the coming session.

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