In the wake of the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s poor performance in the recent state assembly elections, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) has decided to fight the local body elections on their own. This choice has raised concerns about the unity of the opposition alliance. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut explained that their workers need more chances to grow and develop within their own party.
Just two days earlier, the Shiv Sena (UBT) announced support for Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP in the upcoming Delhi elections, ignoring the Congress party. Congress leaders said they would discuss whether to contest independently or join forces for the local body polls, which still do not have a set date. The NCP (SP), led by Sharad Pawar, warned that the decision by Shiv Sena (UBT) could hurt the chances of all three alliance partners.
Raut said that the alliances formed for Lok Sabha and assembly elections were not working, as their workers were missing out on opportunities. He mentioned that the party would run for the Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, and other local councils all by themselves. He also pointed out that Uddhav Thackeray encouraged them to go solo.
In the recent assembly elections, the Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP won 230 out of 288 seats, while the MVA coalition managed only 46, with Shiv Sena (UBT) taking 20, Congress 16, and NCP (SP) 10. Raut blamed Congress for the lack of teamwork in the MVA.
When Raut commented on Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar blaming others for their defeat, he asserted that those who cannot work together should not be in an alliance. Raut also criticized the INDIA bloc for not holding meetings since the Lok Sabha elections, stating that it was Congress’s duty to organize discussions.
NCP (SP) leaders responded by saying they couldn’t force Shiv Sena (UBT) to stay in the alliance if they wanted to go solo, even if it wasn’t the best decision. Supriya Sule from NCP (SP) said local elections are important for party members and should reflect their needs.
Congress MLA Vikas Thakre said if Shiv Sena (UBT) chooses to go alone, the Congress is ready to do the same. However, another Congress member, Manikrao Thakre, stated that the party will decide on its participation.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis played down the decision made by Shiv Sena (UBT). He said his administration is focused on the development of Maharashtra and believes they will have the people’s support in future elections. Fadnavis hinted that political alignments can change quickly and jokingly said, “In politics, anything can happen.”
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