Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut clarified on Sunday that neither he nor his party had ever called for the dissolution of the opposition INDIA bloc or the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra. His remarks came a day after his party announced its decision to contest the upcoming local body elections independently, citing the need for organisational growth and the lack of opportunities for workers from all alliance parties.
The decision marks a fresh point of tension within the Congress-led INDIA bloc, particularly after some alliance partners expressed support for the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) against Congress in the Delhi Assembly election. The INDIA bloc and MVA alliances consist of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
In a statement, Raut emphasized the distinct purposes of the three different electoral contests. “The MVA was formed for the Assembly elections, while the INDIA bloc is focused on the Lok Sabha elections. Local body elections, however, are intended to empower party workers and strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level,” he said, seeking to draw a clear line between the strategies for the different polls.
Raut further urged Congress leaders to listen to his full remarks before passing judgment. “Congress leaders should develop the habit of listening to others,” he added.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also underscored his party’s intent to use the local body elections as a platform to bring its new poll symbol, a ‘flaming torch,’ closer to voters at the grassroots level. This comes after the bow-and-arrow symbol, previously associated with the undivided Shiv Sena, was granted to the faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde following his rebellion and subsequent merger with the BJP to form the Mahayuti government.
The ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, secured 230 of the 288 seats in the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly polls, reducing the MVA’s seat count to just 46. Within the MVA, Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP) contributed 20, 16, and 10 seats, respectively.
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