In a surprising move, Uddhav Thackeray, the chief of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has decided not to seek re-election to the state legislative council. Instead, he has nominated senior party leader Ambadas Danve as the candidate for the upcoming biennial election scheduled for May 12, 2023. This decision has caused a rift with the Congress party, which had previously offered conditional support to Thackeray, expecting him to run for re-election. The Congress now plans to announce its own candidate, feeling betrayed by Thackeray's choice. Despite this tension, the Shiv Sena (UBT) is confident about Danve's victory, as they have the necessary numbers to secure the seat. The party has 46 votes, while only 29 votes are needed for Danve to win. The Congress's leadership is reportedly bitter about the situation, having previously relinquished claims during the Rajya Sabha polls in favor of their ally, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). As the election date approaches, the dynamics within the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition continue to shift.