Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) suffered a significant blow after their joint panel was routed in the BEST Employees’ Cooperative Credit Society Ltd elections, failing to win any of the 21 seats it contested. The result raises fresh questions about the feasibility of a future tie-up between the Thackeray cousins ahead of key civic elections.
The alliance, branded the ‘Utkarsh’ panel, fielded 18 candidates from Sena (UBT), two from the MNS, and one from an associated Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes body. The rival group led by Shashank Rao secured the highest tally with 14 seats, while the remaining positions went to the ‘Sahakar Samruddhi’ panel linked to BJP MLC Prasad Lad and a union aligned with the Shiv Sena faction headed by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The contest was for the cooperative credit society that serves employees of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), a civic undertaking operating Mumbai’s iconic red buses under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The society counts more than 15,000 members, including current and retired staff.
Leaders from both Sena (UBT) and MNS had acknowledged that the MNS lacked a strong footprint within BEST but treated the election as a platform to demonstrate unity between Uddhav and Raj Thackeray ahead of the high-stakes BMC polls and other local body elections. The BMC, once under Shiv Sena control for over two decades, is currently administered by an appointed authority.
BJP leader Prasad Lad took aim at the defeat, remarking, “The Thackeray brand turned out to be ‘zero’ in the BEST employees’ cooperative credit society election. The boss of the brand could not even win a single seat. We have shown them their position.”
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis argued the contest had been needlessly politicised. “I think there was no need to politicise this kind of election, as it was just a credit society poll. But they politicised it by making tall claims that the Thackeray brand will win. But it seems people did not like it. The poll outcome reflected rejection by the people,” he said.
BJP Mumbai chief Ashish Shelar hailed the verdict as a “positive sign,” posting that workers and employees had supported their side, while those chasing “pat” (credibility) and “pedhi” (money) had been “handed a big pumpkin.” He added, “Once again, it is clear that workers and labourers are with us.”
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also weighed in: “People have done the work of busting the brand. They have backed us, which is why we won the Vidhan Sabha polls. Mahayuti will win a thumping majority in local body polls.”
Despite the outcome, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut downplayed its implications. “The Thackeray brand can never fail. The credit society election is neither a final exam nor a unit test,” he said. Suhas Samant, president of the BEST Kamgar Sena, which backed the losing panel, termed the result “shocking.” MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande added, “The war has not ended yet.”
Calling it a clear message from the workforce, Shashank Rao—son of late trade unionist Sharad Rao—said BEST employees rejected the Sena (UBT)-led formation due to “anti-worker” policies.
The BEST credit society had long been dominated by the BEST Kamgar Sena, making this outcome a notable shift in its internal power dynamics.
