Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray have just shown what happens when the Marathi manoos roars together

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00:00Uddhav Thakre and Raj Thakre have just shown what happens when the Marathi Manus roars together,

00:06forcing the Maharashtra government to roll back Hindi as a mandatory third language in schools.

00:12Now, the cousins want to ride that wave straight into Mumbai's most powerful seat, the BMC.

00:18But here is the honest question, will Marathi pride alone be enough to win Mumbai?

00:23Today on Lokmat Times, I am Tejas and we are breaking down whether a Shiv Sena UBT MNS alliance

00:29can actually take the BMC on Marathi votes alone or if the complex reality of Mumbai's voter base

00:35will force them to think and fight bigger.

00:39But before we discuss that, please subscribe to our channel if you haven't already

00:42and press the bell icon to never miss an update.

00:45Let's start by understanding who really votes in Mumbai.

00:49Marathis form the biggest vote bank, making up 38% of the city's voters.

00:54Next are Muslims with a 19% vote share.

00:57After that, come North Indians who account for 17% of the votes in Mumbai.

01:02Beyond these, there are smaller but important communities.

01:05South Indians at 6%, Christians at 3% and Sindhi, Bengali and Parsi voters together making up around 2%.

01:12Now, let's break down how each of these voter bases might actually vote if Raj and Uddhav come together.

01:18Marathis form 38% of Mumbai's voters.

01:21Yes, it's a big chunk and for both Shusena UBT and MNS, this is the emotional, cultural and traditional base.

01:28If the two Senas can come together without bickering over seats and if they actually consolidate Marathi votes,

01:34they start the race strong.

01:36But let's be clear, Marathi votes alone won't get them the majority in the BMC,

01:41not in a city as diverse and divided as Mumbai.

01:44Now, let's take a look at the rest of the voter bases.

01:46Muslims 19%.

01:48They have traditionally supported Congress and NCP but did vote for Uddhav Thakresh Shiv Sena in the last Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections.

01:56With Congress and NCP almost out of the frame this time, this voter base could act as a kingmaker for the Raj Uddhav alliance.

02:03However, historically, low turnout in Muslim majority areas often dulls their impact.

02:08If the SS-UBT-MNS alliance positions itself as the real opposition to the BJP, they might manage to secure a slice of these votes.

02:17Next up is North Indian, 17%.

02:19This voter base often swings between the BJP, Congress and independents.

02:23But here is the reality.

02:25The two Senas have already had a rocky relationship with North Indian voters due to their past rhetoric.

02:30Even now, the renewed push and related street-level tensions over forcing some North Indians to speak Marathi by Shiv Sena UBT and MNS workers

02:39will ensure they get very little from this vote bank.

02:43The next is Gujarati Marwadi, 15%.

02:45High turnout, high BJP loyalty.

02:48Difficult territory for two Senas.

02:49Others 11%.

02:51South Indians, Christians, Sindhis, Parsis.

02:53No clear pattern.

02:55But these votes can swing outcomes in tight elections.

02:57The BMC has 236 seats post-delimitation.

03:01To control Mumbai, you need a broad coalition of communities, not just one.

03:06Yes, Marathi votes are the heart.

03:07But they are not the whole body.

03:09The BJP understands this, which is why it fields North Indians and Gujarati candidates alongside Marathi faces.

03:16In 2017, one-third of BMC corporators were non-Marathis.

03:20That's Mumbai's reality.

03:21To truly challenge the BJP Shinde Sena NCP Mahayuti, Raj and Uddhav Thakre will need to

03:27consolidate Marathi votes fully, make targeted appeals to Muslims as the main anti-BJP front,

03:33try to win other 11% votes on civic issues like potholes, sanitation, flooding, which affect every Mumbaiker.

03:40Marathi or not?

03:41This is not just about language, but about lived realities of Mumbai.

03:45The Shiusena UBT MNS alliance is not just a political handshake.

03:49It is about reclaiming relevance in a city where the Marathi Vote Bank is shrinking each generation.

03:55If they think Marathi votes alone will hand them the BMC, they might end up with a rude shock.

04:00But if they can balance Marathi pride with inclusive politics and a clear vision agenda,

04:05this alliance could become Mumbai's comeback story and a serious headache for the BJP.

04:10So can Uddhav and Raj win the BMC on Marathi votes alone?

04:14No.

04:14But can they start with Marathi pride, expand with civic promises and build cross-community bridges to win Mumbai?

04:21Absolutely possible.

04:22That's all for now.

04:23If you found this explainer insightful, hit subscribe, ring the bell and share this video with fellow Mumbaikers

04:29who want the BMC elections explained without the noise.

04:32Until then, stay sharp, stay curious and never stop asking questions.

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