On Tuesday, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar expressed his disappointment that Uddhav Thackeray, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, had resigned unilaterally without consulting other members of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the coalition government formed by Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress.
Pawar emphasized that Thackeray was the consensus candidate for the CM's post, and it was expected that he would consult with the other parties before making such a decision. He also noted that the MVA alliance appeared to be intact currently, but there was uncertainty about the future.
About Thackeray's resignation
Thackeray's resignation had come after Eknath Shinde had rebelled against his leadership and a floor test was called. Thackeray's resignation was accepted by the then governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. The issue of his resignation had led to the Supreme Court questioning whether it would be constitutional to reinstate the Uddhav Thackeray government, even if it determined that the governor's decision to ask him to face the trust vote was unconstitutional.
Pawar's views on the MVA alliance and the recent war of words between Thackeray and Fadnavis
Pawar felt that the MVA alliance was still intact and that the constituents had come together with a common minimum program, but he did not know what the future held. On the recent war of words between Thackeray and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, Pawar suggested that it would be better to avoid harsh words and maintain dignity, which is the culture of Maharashtra.
Seat-sharing formula for Lok Sabha and Assembly elections
When asked about the seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, Pawar said it was too early to discuss the matter. People make claims on several seats, and the parties would need to make adjustments and give up some seats to defeat the BJP, he added.