Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said the BJP is mistaken if it believes it can destroy his party, stating that Shiv Sena (UBT) is not merely a political organisation but an idea.

Uddhav Thackeray shared the stage with his cousin and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray an event held to mark Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray`s birth centenary.

Party leaders from MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) including Aaditya Thackeray, Amit Thackeray, Sanjay Raut and others also attended the event which was held on Friday evening at the Shanmukhananda Hall in Sion area of central Mumbai.

Addressing party workers, Uddhav Thackeray said that attempts were being made to erase the Thackeray name, but such efforts will not succeed.

“The BJP is wrong if it thinks it can finish Shiv Sena (UBT). Shiv Sena (UBT) is not just a party, it is an idea,” Uddhav Thackeray said.

साहेबांची जन्मशताब्दी | श्री षण्मुखानंद सभागृह, सायन, मुंबई – #LIVE https://t.co/O6261hA27Z

— ShivSena – शिवसेना Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (@ShivSenaUBT_) January 23, 2026

Remarks come in after BMC polls

His remarks came in days after the results for high-stake BMC Election 2026 were announced, where the BJP emerged as the single largest party by winning 89 seats in the 227-member civic body.

With the support of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which won 29 seats, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance ended the Thackeray family’s three decades-long control over BMC.

The Mumbai civic body is considered the richest in the country.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) alliance put up a stronger-than-expected fight but failed to prevent the BJP-led alliance from crossing the majority mark.

In the elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) won 65 seats, while the MNS, led by Raj Thackeray, secured six seats.

Money power in polls

Uddhav Thackeray also alleged that money power was used in the Mumbai civic polls, claiming that such practices were witnessed for the first time in the city’s municipal elections.

Current political situation indecent: Raj

Meanwhile, addressing the crowds on Friday, Raj Thackeray said that it might be better that Balasaheb Thackeray did not have to witness the current political climate. He described the present political situation as “indecent and disgusting”.

Earlier, in a post on X, Raj Thackeray expressed his emotions in memory of Balasaheb Thackeray at the beginning of his birth centenary year.

In his speech, Raj Thackeray shared a humorous anecdote reflecting the post-election political mood in Maharashtra.

स्व. बाळासाहेबांची आज १०० वी जयंती. इतिहासात जन्म शताब्दी वर्ष अनेकांची साजरी झाली आहेत आणि होतील देखील, पण एखादी व्यक्ती हयात नसताना देखील ती लोकांच्या स्मृतीत रहावी, आणि त्या व्यक्तीने आज देखील एखाद्या प्रांताच्या राजकारणाला आणि समाजकारणाला आकार देत रहावं हे दुर्मिळ. हे फक्त… pic.twitter.com/iDRAjiYWSh

— Raj Thackeray (@RajThackeray) January 23, 2026

He told the audience that Uddhav Thackeray had been unwell before the elections, but after the polls, the situation changed, leaving Raj Thackeray himself unwell. He then spoke about his family doctor, Dr Yadav, clarifying jokingly that despite the name, the doctor is Marathi and not from North India.

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