'Maha Vikas Aghadi'-- why Cong-NCP-Sena alliance used this name in Maharashtra
Some smaller parties reportedly had objected to only Shiv Sena's name appearing in the suggested 'Maha Shiv Agahdi'.
New Delhi: As the alliance between Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena is taking shape in Maharashtra, much speculation was going on about the naming of alliance of three parties (Cong-NCP-Sena).
Some allies had reservations with the name 'Maha Aghadi' which was the earlier proposed name for the alliance, news agency IANS reported.
While Shiv Sena was of the view to term the prospective alliance as 'Maha Shiv Aghadi', smaller allies of Maha Aghadi came forth with dismissal.
Some smaller parties reportedly had objected to only Shiv Sena's name appearing in the suggested 'Maha Shiv Agahdi'.
The nomenclature was then suggested to be 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' as it has a more neutral stance by replacing 'Shiv' with 'Vikas'.
The agenda behind naming the alliance 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' would have a universal appeal. ''As it supplements the upcoming Sena-NCP-Congress government's prime agenda of vikas or development,'' a Congress leader said.
Formerly, when the Shiv Sena was part of the alliance with Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and other parties supporting the saffron group for the past 25 years, its alliance was called 'Maha Yuti'.
According to the Congress leader, the new entity was decided to be called 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' as the government will work as a united front (aghadi) for the progress (vikas) of Maharashtra (Maha).
According to the Congress leader, a neutral name could mollify other allies of Maha Aghadi like Congress-NCP like CPI, Swabhimani Shetkari, Sanghatana, Peasants Camp Workers' Party and others who were the decades-long political rivals and fought with Shiv Sena at various levels.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that the foundation of India and its constitution as secular.
He said that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj always took people of all religions and castes together.