A day after Shiv Sena (UBT) decided to contest solo in the Maharashtra local body polls, the party’s Rajya Sabha parliamentarian Sanjay Raut said on Sunday that he had never called for a dissolution of the opposition INDIA bloc or the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra, reported Hindustan Times.
Citing the party’s decision to contest solo, Raut cited the lack of opportunities for every alliance party’s workers and the need for organisational growth as reasons.
“My party or I have never said that the INDIA bloc or the MVA should be dissolved,” PTI quoted the Rajya Sabha MP as saying.
Raut also mentioned the different aims of Lok Sabha, state elections and local body polls. “The MVA was formed for the assembly polls and INDIA bloc for the Lok Sabha elections. The local body elections are meant to empower party workers and strengthen the organisation at quoted Raut as saying.
Before criticising Shiv Sena (UBT)’s stance, Raut urged the Congress party to listen to his full remarks. “The Congress leaders should have the habit of listening to others.”
He added that the prime motive for contesting solo in local body polls is to ensure that the party’s new ‘flaming torch’ (poll) symbol reaches voters at the grassroots level.
INDIA bloc and MVA alliances:
The INDIA bloc and MVA alliances in Maharashtra include Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP).
The latest decision by Shiv Sena (UBT) to contest solo arrived after alliance partners decided to back Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) against the grand old party in the Delhi assembly election, added the report.
The ruling Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP won 230 of the state’s 288 seats in the November 2024 assembly polls, shrinking MVA’s tally to 46 seats. Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP) each contributed 20, 16, and 10 seats, respectively.