Ahead of three of its constituents — Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar) — arriving at the seat-sharing pact among them, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Friday launched a joint campaign for the Maharashtra Assembly polls, even as Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray urged the allies against squabbling over seats or the chief minister’s post.
On a day when the Election Commission of India indicated that the October 2024 Maharashtra Assembly polls might get delayed a bit, the MVA held a rally at the Shanmukhananda Hall in north-central where they virtually kick-started their joint campaign for the Assembly polls. Speaking at the joint rally, former chief minister and Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray — who is expected to play a crucial role in the Opposition’s campaign for the State Assembly — made a strong case for the MVA putting up a united face in the polls.
“Given that the seat-adjustments talks are currently on, let’s settle the matters in a give-and-take manner.... Even in the case of the chief ministerial candidate’s choice, let’s not make issues. Let the NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar announce their candidates, I will support their choice. But, let’s not squabble over the sharing of seats,” Uddhav said.
“I don't think I am fighting the polls for myself but I am for the rights of Maharashtra. My opinion is that the chief ministerial candidate must be decided first, rather than going by the logic that the chief minister will be the party which wins the most seats in the polls,” the Sena (UBT) chief said.
Uddhav’s statement came in the midst of speculation that the State Congress has recommended to their party high command that Uddhav be made the MVA’s joint campaign. Meanwhile, there is unanimity among all the MVA partners that senior Congress leader and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan be made the joint manifesto committee.
On his part, Sharad Pawar – who is the chief architect of the MVA – has chosen to remain silent on the issue of the chief ministerial face.
Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Uddhav said: “These two senior BJP leaders look at Maharashtra as a cock that lays golden eggs. Mumbaikars will get to know how the BJP will treat them in the Assembly polls. In the Lok Sabha polls, Maharashtra has given direction to the country. We should follow the same trend and tempo in the State Assembly polls”.
“Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena may have stolen the Shiv Sena’s original symbol of bow and arrow, but we are not making an issue of that... We are going to polls with the new allotted symbol of “Mashaal” (Flaming Torch). Even in the case of Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar has stolen the original `Clock' symbol clock. However, the Congress continues to have the symbol of hand,” the Sena (UBT) chief minister said.
“As the MVA, we will go to the polls with the Congress’ “hand” symbol, NCP (SP)’s “Man blowing Turah "and we as the Shiv Sena (UBT) with “Mashaal”,” Uddhav said.