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NEW DELHI: The much-hyped reunion of the Thackeray cousins aft 20 years has altered the governmental scenery of Maharashtra with the caller confederation signalling the soundless extremity of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) - the absorption beforehand which Uddhav formed with the Congress and Sharad Pawar’s NCP successful 2019 to support the BJP retired of powerfulness aft the assembly elections.The MVA, which ruled the authorities for two-and-a-half years, was dealt a assemblage stroke successful 2022 erstwhile the Shiv Sena and the NCP divided down the mediate aft rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar. Despite the setback, the absorption conjugation came backmost powerfully successful the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, winning 30 retired of the 48 seats successful the state. But that glory was short-lived arsenic the MVA was decimated successful the assembly elections held aboriginal successful the twelvemonth and could collectively triumph lone 46 retired of the 288 seats.While the assembly elections had already taken the sting retired of the MVA, the Thackeray confederation has present virtually near the conjugation connected the verge of disintegration. Sharad Pawar has indicated helium volition align with the Thackeray cousins, but the Congress has been near successful the lurch arsenic it refused to articulation hands with Raj Thackeray’s MNS, fixed his assertive “outsiders” transportation against northbound Indians. So, wherever does the Congress spell from here? The contiguous trial for the grand-old-party is the elections to 29 civic corporations successful Maharashtra, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, connected January 15.
The just-concluded municipal assembly and nagar panchayat elections, which were swept by the BJP-led Mahayuti, saw the Congress look arsenic the main absorption party. While the Congress won 824 seats, its MVA allies - NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) - could negociate lone 256 and 244 seats respectively.
Little wonder, the Congress, which had for immoderate clip present played 2nd fiddle to some Uddhav and Sharad Pawar, was speedy to asseverate that it has present emerged arsenic the main absorption successful the state.Maharashtra Congress main Harshwardhan Sapkal connected Thursday said his enactment is holding discussions to signifier an confederation with Prakash Ambedkar's Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) for the upcoming municipal corp elections. But volition this confederation beryllium capable to assistance the grand-old-party antagonistic the unit of ruling Mahayuti connected 1 manus and the beardown Marathi transportation of the Thackeray brothers connected the other?The Congress determination to illustration its ain people successful Maharashtra is simply a bold gambit.
The enactment which had a reasonably beardown beingness successful the authorities authorities till 2009, has since seen its electoral fortunes decline. In the 2024 assembly elections, the Congress could triumph lone 16 seats retired of the 101 it contested successful the 288-member assembly. The Congress ballot stock stood astatine 12.42% - which is the lowest for the enactment successful Maharashtra, but inactive much than each different players successful the authorities but the BJP.The Congress would beryllium hoping to gully enactment from the minorities, Dalits and besides the migrant voters by staying distant from Raj Thackeray.
It would besides anticipation to insulate itself from anti-incumbency against Uddhav Thackeray, whose Shiv Sena has dominated the BMC for galore years.However, this solo combat pitches the Congress against the BJP - which has been an undisputed victor successful each caller electoral contests. The determination besides ends up dividing the absorption abstraction successful the civic polls, giving the BJP-led Mahayuti an advantage. The section assemblage elections volition besides enactment to the trial the Congress’s organisational spot - which has seen a diminution successful galore states.
If, contempt these challenges, the Congress does negociate a decent amusement successful the civic polls, it could pave the mode for a changed reasoning successful its confederation politics.
On the flip side, a mediocre amusement could propulsion it much towards oblivion and trim the party’s bargaining power. The Congress, for now, says that autarkic contests by MVA constituents successful civic elections should not beryllium seen arsenic a rift wrong either the MVA oregon the INDIA bloc. Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar justified the party’s solo stance and said that portion the INDIA bloc had fought the Lok Sabha elections unneurotic and the MVA contested the assembly polls arsenic a agreed front, section assemblage elections run nether antithetic governmental realities.However, if the Thackeray clan bonhomie translates into electoral gains for some Uddhav and Raj, the Congress volition person to beryllium prepared for a agelong solo stint successful the state.
