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Updated July 21st, 2021 at 13:38 IST

MVA infighting on display as Congress decides to fight Maharashtra local body polls alone

After meeting Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday, Nana Patole revealed that Congress would go solo in the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra. 

Reported by: Akhil Oka
Congress, Maharashtra
Image: PTI | Image:self
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After meeting Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday, Nana Patole revealed that Congress would go solo in the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra. This assumes significance amid Congress' growing resentment in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. AICC state in-charge HK Patil and party general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal also participated in the meeting that took place at Gandhi's residence in the national capital. According to Patole, fighting the elections alone would not harm the stability of the Uddhav Thackeray-led government. 

Speaking to the media, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole remarked, "Looking at the condition of other parties in Maharashtra, there is a lot of space only for Congress. In the meeting, a detailed discussion was held regarding the plan to strengthen the party". He added, "The Assembly polls are three years away. Congress will fight the local body elections on its own". 

Congress' discomfort within MVA

Despite winning a comfortable majority of its own in the 2019 Assembly election, NDA could not form the government in 2019 over Shiv Sena's demand for the rotational CM post. After the imposition of the President's Rule in the State, BJP took a surprising step of joining hands with NCP's Ajit Pawar, who had reportedly promised the support of other legislators. However, the new Fadnavis-led government had to resign ahead of the SC-mandated floor test owing to the paucity of numbers. 

Subsequently, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray took oath as the CM of Maharashtra backed by new allies NCP and Congress on November 28, 2019. In the last few months, multiple Congress leaders including Balasaheb Thorat have expressed their concerns over their party being neglected in the coalition government. In May 2020, Rahul Gandhi had publicly stated that Congress was not the key decision-maker in Maharashtra.

The Sonia Gandhi-led party also locked horns with NCP over Sharad Pawar's unflattering assessment of Rahul Gandhi. Since taking charge of the Congress state unit, Patole has repeatedly asserted in the last few months that his party will win a majority on its own in the next Assembly election. Stressing that many people are miffed over the Sonia Gandhi-led party's "growing influence" in the state, he has also claimed that Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar are tracking his moves. 

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Published July 21st, 2021 at 13:38 IST

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