Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024: MVA, Mahayuti Skip CM Face; Raj Thackeray Declares MNS Will Go Solo

The political landscape in Maharashtra is witnessing notable developments ahead of the assembly elections. With the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders deciding not to project a chief ministerial candidate, it is now certain that both the ruling and opposition alliances will contest the elections without one.

On Sunday, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray made it clear that this issue is no longer a priority for the opposition coalition. He emphasised that winning the election is the primary focus of the MVA.

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As reported by Hindustan Times (HT), MVA indicates that the Shiv Sena (UBT) has accepted the decision of its allies not to project a chief ministerial face. This shift in stance from the Thackeray camp has brought some relief to Congress leaders, who were concerned about potential internal differences. A senior Congress leader commented, "Although the Thackeray faction must maintain a certain position for political reasons, his agreement with our stand on the chief ministership is a relief for the time being."

On the other side, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also chosen not to project a chief ministerial candidate, even if the Mahayuti alliance retains power. While Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction of the Shiv Sena is reportedly not entirely happy with this decision, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar seems satisfied. Despite their differences on many fronts, both alliances now share a common approach regarding the chief minister's position.

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Ajit Pawar's Quip About 'Standing'

In a lighter moment during a press conference held to welcome Marathi actor Sayaji Shinde into his party, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had a humorous exchange with the press. As he stood up to speak, television camerapersons requested him to remain seated. Pawar quipped, "This is what I've been telling my people. Don't make me 'stand' (a verb used in Marathi to mean contesting an election), and now they won't let me sit!" His remark drew laughter from the room. When asked about contesting the election from Baramati, Pawar clarified that it was the local party workers who were pushing him to contest from his traditional stronghold.

Raj Thackeray's Solo Move For State Elections

In a separate development, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray announced that his party would contest the state elections independently. Speaking to party workers at NESCO in Goregaon on Sunday, he declared that the MNS would be part of the next government. Raj Thackeray criticised all political parties for their conduct and advised voters to accept any monetary offers during the election but to ultimately vote for the MNS.

Raj Thackeray also distanced himself from both the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition MVA, focusing on his vision for Maharashtra. He expressed his concern about the state's political situation and how some leaders have changed alliances. "You contest elections with one party and then join hands with another," he remarked, adding that his vision is for a Maharashtra that remains strong and independent. "Don't allow Maharashtra to be ruined," he urged.

The Legacy Of Sunil Dutt's MLAs

The death of Baba Siddique, a prominent figure in Mumbai politics, marks the end of an era for a group of MLAs once closely associated with the late Sunil Dutt. In 2004, under Dutt's influence, the Congress swept all six assembly seats in the Mumbai North West constituency. Dutt, who was a union minister at the time, was widely respected, and his support greatly contributed to the success of the candidates.

The MLAs included Baba Siddique (Bandra), J C Chandurkar (Kherwadi), Ashok Jadhav (Vile Parle), Baldev Khosa (Amboli), Kripashankar Singh (Santacruz), and Suresh Shetty (Andheri). However, two decades later, none of these leaders held legislative positions. While Kripashankar Singh has switched to the BJP, the others remain active in Congress, although they have either not contested or won elections in recent years.

These developments continue to shape the political scenario in Maharashtra as the state gears up for the upcoming assembly elections.