 chief Uddhav Thackeray has proposed that the INDIA alliance should consider deciding its prime ministerial candidate){kind=link}
At the INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi, Uddhav Thackeray suggested that the opposition alliance should jointly decide
June 9, 2026: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has proposed that the INDIA alliance should consider deciding its prime ministerial candidate ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections. The suggestion was made during the opposition bloc’s meeting in New Delhi, where alliance leaders discussed future strategy and coordination. Clarifying the remarks, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said the decision would be taken collectively by all alliance partners and not by any single leader.
Speaking after the meeting, Raut said several leaders within the INDIA alliance are capable of leading the country. He stressed that the choice of a prime ministerial candidate would emerge through consensus among coalition partners. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Raut remarked that if an ordinary person could become the country’s prime minister, other leaders within the alliance were equally capable of holding the post.
Thackeray also reportedly advocated for more frequent meetings among INDIA bloc partners and a stronger coordination mechanism within the alliance. According to Raut, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren supported the proposal for regular consultations. Raut additionally criticised the BJP over celebrations linked to Modi’s tenure, claiming that historical leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru would be remembered long after current political narratives fade.