Mumbai: In a possible jolt to the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar dismissed the Shiv Sena UBT's proposal to name a chief ministerial candidate for the coalition on Saturday. Pawar reportedly stressed that the coalition itself represents a collective face, rejecting the idea of spotlighting one individual. This statement is perceived as a setback to Shiv Sena UBT's efforts to position Uddhav Thackeray as the chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Elections.
“Our alliance is our collective face. We don’t believe in one person’s face. Collective leadership is our formula,” Pawar stated according to a Hindustan Times report, addressing Shiv Sena UBT's demand to name the MVA's chief ministerial candidate ahead of the state assembly elections. When questioned further about Uddhav Thackeray's potential candidacy, Pawar reiterated, “I told you, collective leadership will be our face.”
This declaration arrives amidst Shiv Sena UBT's ongoing attempts to elevate their party president as the MVA's chief ministerial face. The issue risks sparking internal conflict within the MVA. Since last Thursday, Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut has been advocating for Thackeray’s candidacy, maintaining his position despite Pawar's rejection.
Sanjay Raut's Response On Pawar's Stance
According to the report, responding to Pawar’s stance, Raut acknowledged that what Sharad Pawar said is right. He further affirmed that the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi will achieve a majority (in the state assembly elections). However, he also stated that if Rahul Gandhi was declared the prime ministerial candidate in the Lok Sabha elections, then it could have helped the INDIA alliance in gaining 25 to 30 additional seats nationwide.
"It is our opinion. No government or institution should be without a face. People must know who they are voting for. People voted for Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and Narendra Modi,” Raut reportedly stated. He also stated that there is no disagreement about the MVA’s leadership face.
When asked if he still supports giving the MVA a chief ministerial candidate, Raut responded, “This is our opinion. However, MVA comprises three parties. Everyone has seen the results of the Lok Sabha elections when all three parties contested together. Hence, we are going to contest the polls unitedly in any case.” He expressed confidence that the MVA will secure at least 175 to 180 seats in the assembly elections.
Last Thursday, Raut championed Thackeray, stating, “Uddhavji was chief minister in the MVA government. People do remember the good work done by him.” He also reminded allies of Thackeray’s leadership during the Lok Sabha elections.
Additionally, Pawar suggested that all three MVA parties should allocate seats to their respective smaller allies from their own quotas. “There are many parties, such as PWP, Left and AAP among others, which helped us during the Lok Sabha elections, and stood against the Modi government. Once discussion on seat sharing is finalised, the three parties should decide how many seats they want to share with their smaller allies from their quota,” he told HT.
