The opposition INDIA bloc appears to be facing another internal rift — this time in Maharashtra. The Congress party has declared that it will not ally with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
Senior Congress leader and former Mumbai Congress president Bhai Jagtap confirmed on Saturday that the party will also not contest the polls in alliance with Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT), opting instead to go solo.
“The Congress will not ally with Raj Thackeray in the coming civic polls. Nor will it contest the elections in alliance with Uddhav Thackeray. The party will fight independently,” Jagtap stated.
Internal Discussions Held, No Formal Announcement Yet
Jagtap said the decision was discussed in a meeting of a newly formed committee in the presence of Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala. However, the Congress has not yet issued a formal public announcement.
The move, however, has sparked immediate backlash from within the alliance.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Reacts Sharply
Reacting to Jagtap’s remarks, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey warned against taking unilateral calls on alliance matters.
“The decision on alliance will be taken by senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray,” Dubey said.
He further asserted the Sena’s readiness for a solo contest if necessary:
“Do not challenge us. We are Shiv Sena. In the last election, we contested alone and defeated the BJP. We respect our alliance partners but are also ready to go it alone.”
The Complex Thackeray Equation
The Congress and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) have been alliance partners since 2019, when NCP chief Sharad Pawar brokered the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition. Despite their ideological differences, the partnership has largely held steady through several political storms.
However, with Uddhav Thackeray reportedly rekindling ties with his estranged cousin Raj Thackeray, the possibility of bringing MNS into the fold has become politically sensitive.
Both Thackeray cousins are said to be exploring an understanding ahead of the BMC elections, which will decide control over Asia’s richest civic body.
There is, however, no word yet on how the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) — the third partner in the MVA — will respond to the unfolding developments.
Similar Strains Emerge in Bihar
The Maharashtra friction comes just as Bihar’s Grand Alliance faces internal cracks ahead of the state assembly polls.
In Bihar, the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) have failed to finalise a seat-sharing agreement, with both parties fielding candidates independently — resulting in “friendly contests” that could ultimately benefit the BJP.
In another setback, Hemant Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), reportedly sidelined during negotiations, announced it would not contest in Bihar and would reassess its position in Jharkhand, where the same alliance governs.
The developments across states indicate growing disunity within the INDIA bloc, just months ahead of key local elections.
Congress Rules Out Alliance With Raj Thackeray’s MNS, Signals Solo Fight In Mumbai Civic Polls
