12 Key Facts About The Life and Political Journey of Uddhav Thackeray

Uddhav Thackeray was born on July 27, 1960, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

He is the son of Bal Thackeray, the founder of the Shiv Sena party.

Uddhav Thackeray completed his schooling from Balmohan Vidyamandir and later graduated from Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art in Mumbai.

Before entering active politics, Uddhav was known for his interest in photography and has published several photo books.

He began his political career within Shiv Sena, focusing initially on the party’s organizational and propaganda activities.

Uddhav became the working president of Shiv Sena in 2003 and later the party president after his father's demise in 2012.

He played a crucial role in Shiv Sena’s dominance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections over the years.

Under his leadership, Shiv Sena continued its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra for several years.

Uddhav Thackeray became the 19th Chief Minister of Maharashtra on November 28, 2019, forming the government with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Indian National Congress (INC) under the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition.

He is the first Chief Minister of Maharashtra who had never contested any election before assuming office.

His tenure as Chief Minister was marked by his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, earning both praise and criticism for various measures taken.

In 2022, a significant faction led by Eknath Shinde broke away from Shiv Sena, challenging Uddhav's leadership. This split eventually led to Uddhav losing his position as Chief Minister in June 2022 when Shinde formed a new government with the support of the BJP.

Additionally, Uddhav Thackeray lost the original party identity of Shiv Sena after the Election Commission recognized Eknath Shinde's faction as the legitimate Shiv Sena.