Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
As Maharashtra’s Assembly elections approach, the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) are apparently undecided about the Chief Minister’s face, as both groups have refrained from announcing a name. While the MVA alleges infighting within the BJP-Shinde Sena alliance, the Mahayuti shoots back with the same accusation against the MVA.
Speaking at the India Today Conclave in Mumbai on Wednesday, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam referred to the MVA — consisting of Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP — as the “most disturbed alliance.”
CLICK HERE FOR FULL COVERAGE OF INDIA TODAY CONCLAVE 2024
“The MVA has 12 people ready for the Chief Minister’s post, and they are fighting each other,” Nirupam alleged. He also questioned why Congress has not responded to Uddhav Thackeray’s demand to declare a Chief Minister candidate before the polls.
BJP MLA and the party’s Mumbai unit President, Ashish Shelar, joined Nirupam in questioning the alleged dispute in the MVA over projecting a Chief Ministerial candidate.
He asserted, “This alliance [MVA] will break down over seat sharing. Their expiry date has come.”
Hitting back at the Mahayuti leaders, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “We have three leaders” who are capable of making decisions regarding the Chief Ministerial candidate, as she dismissed the allegations of displeasure within the alliance.
“Each party will have opinionsâæ How do you know what is discussed between us?” she questioned Nirupam.
According to Congress MP and working President of the party’s Maharashtra unit, Praniti Shinde, neither the Chief Minister’s face nor seat sharing will be a concern for the MVA alliance.
“There is a committee to finalise seat sharing. We are set to form a solid secular government, that is certain. There is not going to be any fight,” she asserted. According to her, “seat sharing is a small issue in the whole situation.”
The Mahayuti leaders also rejected the dispute over the Chief Minister’s face, asserting, “The alliance will fight the election under the leadership of Eknath Shinde,” and the alliance leaders will decide who will head the government after the election.
Though the question of who will secure power remains undecided for now, both the Mahayuti alliance and the MVA are confident of victory.
While Chaturvedi and Praniti Shinde asserted that their alliance would win the upcoming polls, citing their performance in the Lok Sabha elections, Sanjay Nirupam and BJP’s Shelar are convinced that the setbacks they faced in the Lok Sabha results will not be repeated.
“It is not overconfidence. The MVA is coming back to power; it’s a reality. We are happy and united in this alliance,” Chaturvedi said, adding that there will be a “best friend forever government for the people.”
Specifically asked whether Congress or Shiv Sena will win more seats, she said, “Who wins more seats will not affect the alliance. We want to oust the corrupt government. A best friend forever government will come, and it will be a stable government.”
According to Congress MP and working President of the party’s Maharashtra unit, Praniti Shinde, Congress’s performance in the Lok Sabha election was not unexpected.
“We knew we were winning. We have been at the grassroot level. Some parties have disconnected from the masses and could not see the real picture. The people of Maharashtra are not naive, and they realised that everything the BJP was projecting was only on paper.”
However, the BJP alleges that the MVA’s better performance in the Lok Sabha polls was due to polarisation and false narratives. Sanjay Nirupam alleged that people from a specific community increasingly voted for them, leading to a higher vote share.
“Lok Sabha polls saw an unprecedented change in political equations. That is not going to repeat. Every day is not Sunday,” he asserted.
The Assembly elections in Maharashtra are expected to be held by November 2024 to elect the 288 members of the house.
English