Maha Vikas Aghadi’s future hangs in balance as allies mull going solo after poll loss

Mumbai: The brunt of defeat in the Maharashtra assembly elections seems to be spilling over in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) with Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena pondering whether to continue being a part of the alliance with Congress and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP).

The Congress, too, is echoing similar sentiments with some of its leaders suggesting breaking ties with the alliance partners. However, the leaders have stressed that a final decision on this lies with the party’s central leadership.

Post-election analysis: Cracks appear in MVA

Senior Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Waddetiwar said many workers have shown interest in contesting the future elections independently but personal opinions cannot but the party’s stance.

The assembly election results are being analysed and the future course of action will be decided after discussions with the leadership, he added.

Leaders of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) remained silent, refraining from commenting on the issue.

Uddhav Sena’s internal debate: Independent path or continued alliance?

Meanwhile, Sena (UBT) leader and Leader of the Opposition in the state Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve, criticised the Congress again on Thursday. He accused the party of “overconfidence” ahead of the Assembly polls, claiming its leaders were already discussing ministerial positions before the elections had even occurred.

“Some Congress leaders were already debating which ministries they would secure before the elections. There were ten contenders for the chief minister’s post. Had they projected Uddhav Thackeray as their CM candidate, we might have seen a 2-5% swing in our favour,” Danve remarked.

On Wednesday, Danve revealed that a section of Sena (UBT) leaders and newly-elected MLAs raised concerns during a party meeting held in Mumbai on Monday regarding their alliance with the Congress, NCP, and continued participation in the MVA.

“Many of our MLAs believe Shiv Sena (UBT) should forge an independent path, contest elections alone, and not depend on alliances. Shiv Sena has never been about chasing power; it will come naturally when we stay true to our ideology,” he said.

A day later, Danve clarified that he was not advocating for a breakup of the MVA alliance. “Our main focus is on strengthening the party’s organisational structure across the state. Our goal is to solidify the party’s presence in all 288 Assembly constituencies,” he said.

Danve also hinted that the party may look at contesting the upcoming municipal elections alone.

Senior Uddhav Sena leader and MP Sanjay Raut acknowledged that some party leaders had expressed concerns about remaining in the MVA alliance. “A few leaders, especially those who lost in the elections, felt we should not have contested as part of the alliance. However, these are personal opinions, not the party’s official stance,” he stated.

Raut also emphasised that the MVA allies would convene a meeting to evaluate the situation and determine the future course of action.

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