Vikas Thakre Vijay Kadam Satish Harde and Kishor Kumeria

 

 

 

The political equations within Maha Vikas Aaghadi in Maharashtra have changed after the announcement of alliance of Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). It has posed challenge before local leaders as Congress high command is not ready to accept MNS. In Mumbai it has made clear that it would go solo, in Nagpur, Sena has to share its seats with MNS as the latter won’t be a direct part of MVA, Congress made it clear. In Nagpur, Congress had a discussion with Sena for municipal elections where Sena has demanded 37 seats for Nagpur Municipal Corporation elections.

 

In the backdrop of the upcoming Nagpur Municipal Corporation elections, political activities have intensified. A detailed discussion took place between Nagpur District Congress Committee President and MLA Vikas Thakre, along with Shiv Sena party’s Deputy Leader and Municipal Corporation election observer Vijay Kadam, who had come from Mumbai, Nagpur Lok Sabha contact in-charge Satish Harde, and Nagpur District Chief Kishore Kumeria. The final decision on seat-sharing is likely to be taken soon at the senior level of both parties. While the Maha Vikas Aghadi contested the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections together, there were strong sentiments among party workers that the Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections should be fought independently. Congress is going solo in Mumbai but in Nagpur, it has decided to have alliance with its other constituents of MVA--Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar).

 

Since Congress has its own reservations about MNS, it has asked Sena leaders in Nagpur to share the seats with MNS. Nobody is sure as to how much seats will Sena get and how much it will give to MNS. Sena has demanded 37 but it is unlikely to get those many. Experts say, Congress may give them less than 15. In that case how many of those will it give to MNS? Will the number satisfy MNS or not? If Shiv Sena is also not happy with the seats given by Congress then will Sena-MNS contest polls independently? These are the questions being asked in the political circle. Congress is ready to give NCP and Shiv Sena (UBT) some share. Congress is firm on one formula according to which it has sought the details of the prabhags and names of the candidates from both the parties with solid reasons as to why they feel their candidates would win. If they could be able to provide logical reasons then only Congress would give them those many seats. State General Secretary of MNS Hemant Gadkari welcomed the move of alliance of MNS and Sena and said, “It will give a positive result for both parties. We have not received any message from Rajsaheb as to how would we face elections. Once we get instructions we will plan our poll management.”