MVA parties resolves to fight Maharashtra assembly polls together as equal partners

Mumbai: Dismissing the reports of inter-party discontent, Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders on Saturday announced that they will contest the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly election together as “equal partners”. The winnability will be the only criteria for the seat distribution, they said.

NCP founder Sharad Pawar took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that wherever Modi held rallies and roadshows, the MVA candidates won and thanked the PM.

The NCP founder, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and senior Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Prithviraj Chavan held a meeting at Y.B. Chavan in connection with the upcoming Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha election.

Addressing a joint press conference after the MVA leaders' meeting, Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said that the alliance has registered a big victory in Maharashtra in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election and it will repeat its performance in the state assembly elections. “The farmers have taught a good lesson to the BJP. Efforts were made (by the ruling parties) to causereligious polarisation. However, it did not work, ” he said.

Mr. Chavan said that they are going to contest the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly election together. “Today, we held a preliminary meeting in view of the assembly elections. Like the Lok Sabha election, we are going to contest the Vidhan Sabha elections together. We will certainly change the state government," the senior Congress leader said.

When asked who is a big brother in the MVA, Mr. Chavan said there is  no big brother or small brother in the MVA. “In each constituency, we will sit together and find which party has a good candidate. Accordingly, we will make a decision regarding seat distribution,” he said.

After Congress’s impressive performance in Maharashtra, the party’s state chief Nana Patole had stated that it had become the big brother in the MVA, to which the Shiv Sena (UBT) had retorted that all partners are equal in the MVA.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Pawar said that wherever Narendra Modi held rallies and road shows, the citizens have voted for the MVA candidates in huge numbers. “We must thank Narendra Modi for holding his rallies and roadshows as it ensured the victory of MVA candidates. Mr. Modi has held 18 rallies and road shows (in the state) and the voters have showered their blessings to our candidates. If Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to hold rallies in the Maharashtra Assembly election, it will help to create a conducive atmosphere towards a majority for us. Therefore, it is my duty to thank him,” the NCP founder said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said that there was an atmosphere in the Lok Sabha election that no one could defeat the BJP, but the people of Maharashtra have shown that BJP’s invincibility is false. “Even after all this, if the BJP does not accept the reality, they will have to face a challenge in the upcoming Assembly election. The Lok Sabha election was a battle to save the Constitution and democracy. This victory is not the last but it is the beginning of the battle,” Mr. Thackeray said.