The Shiv Sena-UBT on Saturday criticised the Congress over its decision to go solo in the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections and said it could be a 'personal' choice of the grand old party, but the Uddhav Sena and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have already joined hands to 'save Mumbai'.
"...Shiv Sena and MNS have already come together; this is the people's will. There is no need for anyone's orders or permission for that. Sharad Pawar and the Left parties are also together on this," Shiv Sena-UBT Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said in Marathi in a post on micro-blogging website X (formerly Twitter).
Talks are on between Uddhav Sena and the MNS to form an alliance for the BMC polls, which will likely be held in January next year. However, the Congress is against forming an alliance with Raj Thackeray's party, with party's Mumbai unit president Varsha Gaikwad signalling that the grand old party may go solo in the BMC elections.
"We must ensure the election of Congress corporators... prepare for all 227 seats," Gaikwad said last week, while addressing party workers at an event that was also attended by senior Congress leaders, including Ramesh Chennithala.
However, the Uddhav Sena has cautioned the grand old party in contesting alone, pointing out that the move will only help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). It also believes that Raj Thackeray's entry in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will only strengthen the opposition bloc.
Coming to Nationalist Congress Party–Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP), the party has indirectly signalled that it is ready to accept the MNS in the MVA. The party is also close to sealing its alliance with the Uddhav Sena for the BMC polls. "We want to take everyone along. There can be an MVA or INDIA bloc alliance. A clear picture will emerge next week," said NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule on Thursday.
