The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) opposition alliance in Maharashtra, consisting of Shiv Sena (UBT), the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) under Sharadchandra Pawar, and Congress, is set to contest the upcoming state assembly polls together, as confirmed by NCP founder Sharad Pawar. The alliance aims to challenge the ruling Mahayuti coalition in the elections scheduled for October or November this year.Â
Speaking at a press conference, Sharad Pawar emphasized the alliance's unified approach, stating, "Our focus is the same. NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), Uddhav Thackeray, and Congress will fight together. The seat allocation will be discussed soon. We have three months in hand." He also highlighted the collective responsibility of the major MVA parties to support smaller allies who were part of the coalition during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The MVA, which governed Maharashtra from November 2019 until June 2022, achieved notable success in the recent Lok Sabha elections, winning 31 out of 48 seats. Congress secured the highest tally with 13 seats, followed by Shiv Sena (UBT) with nine, and NCP with eight.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government collapsed in June 2022 following a rebellion by Eknath Shinde, who later formed the Mahayuti alliance with BJP's Devendra Fadnavis and became Chief Minister. In July last year, Ajit Pawar led a rebellion against his uncle Sharad Pawar and joined the ruling government, resulting in a split within the NCP.
Sharad Pawar stressed the MVA's moral obligation to bring about a change in leadership. He mentioned that while seat-sharing negotiations have yet to begin, they will start soon. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray also signaled the alliance's continuation, stating on June 15, "The Lok Sabha poll victory for Maha Vikas Aghadi is not the end, it is the beginning."
However, the alliance recently faced differing opinions regarding the naming of a chief ministerial candidate. While NCP state president Jayant Patil suggested refraining from naming a candidate, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut argued that having a chief ministerial face is crucial for the election campaign.
The ruling Mahayuti alliance comprises Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, BJP, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, along with smaller partners.
