Crisis-ridden Congress reaches out to poll partners in Maharashtra

The Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra suffered a major jolt after veteran Congress leader Ashok Chavan, a two-time Maharashtra chief minister and ex-Congress president, joined the BJP thus strengthening the Maha Yuti, the rival coalition.

Mumbai: A crisis-ridden and split-prone Congress reached out its key allies Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) in a bid to strengthen the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra.

The MVA has suffered a major jolt after veteran Congress leader Ashok Chavan, a two-time Maharashtra chief minister and ex-Congress president, joined the BJP thus strengthening the Maha Yuti, the rival coalition.

The ensuing Rajya Sabha polls in Maharashtra for six seats would be a sort of litmus test for the Congress.

Even as the Maharashtra leadership is calling up its MLAs, MLCs and top leaders, AICC general secretary Ramesh Chennithala has been camping in Mumbai for the last three to four days.

Chennithala held series of meetings with Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole, his Mumbai counterpart Prof Varsha Gaikwad, Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat, leader of the opposition in Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan called on Thackeray and Pawar and held deliberations.

“The MVA is being strengthened,” Congress sources said, adding that Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, Left parties - CPI and CPI (M), Peasants and Workers Party are among those who are part of the alliance.

Factionalism and infighting among the Congress units in Mumbai and Maharashtra is a major challenge before the party high command.

The meeting assumes significance in the wake of CLP meetings scheduled on 14-15 February ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections.

“Given the numerical strength of 43 MLAs, the Congress can easily win one seat on its own strength and they have support of Shiv Sena (UBT) 16 and NCP (SP) 11. However, keeping the example of the June 2022 Rajya Sabha elections and Maharashtra Legislative Council polls, the BJP will make all attempts to ensure that there is cross-voting,” sources said.

However, Chennithala asserted that there will be no cross voting in Rajya Sabha elections. “If any Congress MLA does it, then he will be debarred from contesting the elections for six years,” he said.

With 10-12 MLAs very close to Chavan, the Congress is keeping its fingers crossed and are dialling all the legislators at regular intervals.

As far as the Lok Sabha polls are concerned, Maharashtra has 48 seats and the BJP has set the target of 45-plus seats from this western state.