Reconsider position on MNS alliance, Sharad Pawar tells Congress News Air Insight

MUMBAI: NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Saturday made it clear that he was not opposed to having the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) as part of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition. Going a step further, he suggested to the Congress that it reconsider its position on an alliance with the MNS and not take any extreme step.

Pawar was responding to questions on the likelihood of the Congress’ moving out of the MVA, as the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) is set to join hands with the MNS for the local bodies elections starting from next month. “The Congress should refrain from taking an extreme stand and think about it,” the 84-year old leader said. “We are having a meeting on Sunday, where this issue will be discussed.”

The Congress has openly opposed the idea of an alliance with the MNS, as the two parties are very different in ideology. The party believes that the decision will have a negative impact on its North Indian voters, as the community has been often targeted by the MNS in the past.

On October 13, the Congress’ Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala had declared that it would have no alliance with the MNS, and that there were only three parties—the Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT)—in the MVA. “We have not discussed anything about the MNS, as there is no proposal before us and no one has spoken to us about them. I want to make it very clear that there is no discussion on including any other party in the MVA,” he had said.

Reacting to Pawar’s comments, Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, “We respect Pawar sahab, but the Congress is a national party and it takes its own decisions.”

Changing his previous stand, MNS chief Raj Thackeray has become part of the opposition’s protest against alleged irregularities in the voters list. Raj Thackeray, along with his cousin Uddhav, has been accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the BJP-led government of vote theft.