Didn't want to cut into then ally BJP's votes so did not spread into other states: Aaditya Thackeray

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Friday said his party did not spread to other states as it did not want to cut into the votes of its then ally the BJP.

Speaking at CNN News18 Townhall, Thackeray said he will be happy if allies do well and the same was the case when it was with the BJP.

"Because of the BJP we did not spread to other states, we held ourselves back. We did not go out because we did not want to cut into our allies' votes," Thackeray said.

The undivided Shiv Sena in the past has contested in neighbouring states like Goa despite being in alliance with the BJP.

When asked about the Congress and NCP (SP) doing better in Maharashtra than his party in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Thackeray said, "I will be happy if my allies do well. This is the principle my grandfather followed, my father has followed." "In Maharashtra, if the NCP (SP) and the Congress do well we will be happy because we are allies," he added.

Of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, the Congress won 13 of the 17 it contested, Shiv Sena (UBT) got nine from the 21 it contested, and NCP (SP) managed to win from eight of the 10 seats it contested.

The Sena (UBT's) strike rate was 42 per cent, lower than archrival Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which clocked 47 per cent.

When asked if the future chief minister would come from its allies, Thackeray parried the question.

"For us Uddhav Thackeray is the man who has led Maharashtra into safer times from what we faced during COVID. He is the person who has given loan waiver which has reached the farmers. He is the one who has actually ensured safety of women, safety of farmers. He is the one who has looked at youth issues and brought in many industries during our time as compared to the past two years," Thackeray said.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi is collectively fighting the Maharashtra assembly polls to stop the loot of the state, he said.

Polls to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly is likely to take place in November.