Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress of the MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) have initiated measures to keep their flock together after the Maharashtra Assembly election results. Both parties have planned to bring all the MLAs to Mumbai after the announcement of the results. The MLAs will be kept at a five-star hotel.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that the MVA is going to win 160 seats easily and will form the next government on November 26. Mr. Raut also alleged that Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde have started to offer “Rs 50-100 crore” to independents. “It means that the MVA is going to win in the Assembly election,” he said.
Maharashtra Congress incharge Ramesh Chennithala also asserted that the MVA will get a clear majority and form the next government. Meanwhile, AICC (All India Congress Committee) has appointed its observers Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel and Dr. G. Parameshwara to oversee the post-election scenario.
The MVA top leaders including Sharad Pawar-led NCP’s Maharashtra chief Jayant Patil, senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, and Sanjay Raut among others on Thursday night held a meeting to review all 288 seats.
Speaking with the reporters, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief spokesperson said that the MVA along with small parties, which are part of their grand alliance, will win at least 160 seats However, they are still in touch with independent candidates who are capable of winning the seats. “I don’t think anyone is a rebellion. It is the right of everyone to contest the election... Someone contests the election independently and someone gets a ticket from a small party. We are having a dialogue with those who are in a strong position,” Mr. Raut said.
Mr. Chennithala held a meeting with Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole, state Congress working president Arif Naseem Khan and Vijay Wadettiwar at the party’s war room in Mumbai. A senior leader, who attended the meeting, told this newspaper that it has been decided to bring all newly elected members of the party to Mumbai by Saturday evening.
“Considering BJP’s reputation for breaking opposition parties, we have decided to bring all victorious candidates to Mumbai by evening. Further course of action will be decided on the circumstances whether the newly elected members need to be shifted out of Maharashtra or not,” the senior Congress leader said.
Mr. Khan said that they are taking every possible step to ensure that the BJP can’t betray the mandate given by the people. “The way democracy has been murdered by the BJP two and half years ago, this time, we are ensuring the democratic values should be upheld and the people’s mandate would be respected,” he said.
The Maharashtra Congress incharge said that the people of Maharashtra had shown their faith in the Congress and the MVA during last Lok Sabha election and it will be repeated in the Assembly election too. He ruled out chances of a hung assembly.
In response to a query over the chief minister’s post, Mr. Chennithala said that there was no dispute over it among the MVA partners. “All top leaders of MVA will sit together and decide on this issue after the election results are announced,” he said.