Maharashtra Congress' Nana Patole claims MVA isn't 'permanent fixture', allied to stop BJP

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole sparked speculations of the Maha Vikas Aghadi's future as he remarked that the alliance with NCP and Shiv Sena wasn't a 'permanent fixture' and that it was formed to stop the BJP. Nana Patole's remarks came after Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray's 'footwear' remark made during Shiv Sena's 55th Foundation Day celebrations. It is pertinent to point out that the controversy stemmed from Nana Patole's remarks from nearly a week earlier when he had said that the Congress was ready to contest independently in the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

'MVA not a permanent fixture': Congress' Nana Patole

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole claimed that every party had the right to strengthen its organisation and further pointed out that all four parties - Congress, BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP - had fought local body elections and Assembly polls independently in the past. On being asked about CM Uddhav Thackeray's speech during the Shiv Sena foundation day, Nana Patole maintained that the former had addressed the gathering as a party president and not as the leader of a state and that there was no clarity in his speech.  

"We formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA-in 2019) for five years to stop the BJP. This is not a permanent fixture. Every party has the right to strengthen its organisation and the Congress has always given priority to providing relief to COVID-19 affected people by making available blood, oxygen and plasma at various places," Maharashtra Congress cheif Nana Patole told reporters.

Uddhav Thackeray's 'footwear' remark infuriates ally Congress

Speaking on the occasion of Shiv Sena's 55th Foundation Day a day earlier, CM Uddhav Thackeray stated, "What about employment? The livelihoods have been impacted. All citizens are uneasy about their future in a post-COVID scenario. If we don't take their anxiety into consideration and only give a call for contesting elections alone, people will hit you with footwear".

The Sena supremo's remark is being perceived as a dig at Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole who has repeatedly boasted of his party coming to power by contesting the polls alone. Writing on Twitter, former Lok Sabha MP Sanjay Nirupam cast aspersions on the language used by Thackeray and asserted that the latter had spoken a tad too much. Nirupam, who was once elected as a Rajya Sabha MP on a Shiv Sena ticket, condemned the comment made by the Chief Minister.

Congress unease within the MVA

Despite winning a comfortable majority of its own in the 2019 Assembly election, NDA could not form the government over Shiv Sena's demand for the rotational CM post. Finally, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray took oath as the CM of Maharashtra backed by new allies NCP and Congress on November 28, 2019. However, multiple Congress leaders including Balasaheb Thorat have expressed their concerns over their party being neglected in the coalition government in the last few months. 

In May 2020, Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi had publicly stated that Congress was not the key decision-maker in Maharashtra. Congress has also locked horns with Shiv Sena over issues such as the demand to rename Aurangabad. On various occasions, Congress has made it clear that it would not hesitate to quit the Maharashtra government if anyone speaks against its leadership. Speculation about the marginalization of the Sonia Gandhi-led party gained more traction after NCP supremo Sharad Pawar reserved special praise for Shiv Sena recently describing it as a "party which one can trust".