‘MVA speech on the track, consensus in over 125 seats; but the CM face to decide only after polls’: Congress’ Balasaheb Thorat

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) (NCP-SCP) Chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Chief Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole and party leader Balasaheb Thorat greeting the gathering during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) meeting in Mumbai. File. | Photo Credit: ANI

Ruling out the possibility of the Assembly being suspended after the Maharashtra elections, Congress legislature party (CLP) leader Balasaheb Thorat said there was widespread anger not only among the Maratha community but also among Dhangars and other sections. He exuded that confidence Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will be in power in the State with more than 180 seats, adding that seat distribution talks will continue after Anant Chaturthi. He fears that if the elections in Maharashtra are postponed, he is worried about the possibility of a President’s government.

Talks show MVA seats are on track and consensus has been reached on more than 125 seats, Maharashtra CLP leader Balasaheb Thorat said. The Hindu. In an exclusive interview, he said that seat-sharing discussions will continue afterwards Anant Chaturthiand the campaign strategy will be drawn up afterwards. He claimed that the MVA would get nearly 180 seats in the 288-seat Assembly.

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Days after Uddhav Thackeray’s visit to Delhi and speculation about the CM’s face for MVA, he said there is no discussion on the issue now, and the CM’s face will be decided only after the elections. Sources in the Congress had said earlier that the CM’s face is likely to come from the party that won maximum seats.

“We have held three rounds of talks. But there is a gap due to Ganeshotsav. The talks will resume Anant Chaturthi,” he said. With speculation about the possibility of a third alliance emerging in Maharashtra politics, the statement has gained significance. Recently, Vanchit Bahujan leader Aghadi Prakash Ambedkar has held a press conference to announce that the alliance of Dalits, OBCs and Adivasis will bring political transformation in Maharashtra, and Adivasis will not dance to the tune of Congress or BJP.

When asked about the possibility of a third alliance in the State where the tussle between Mahayuti (BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena group, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP group) and MVA (Congress, Shiv Sena UBT, and NCP SP), they accused the BJP of divisive politics. “BJP’s political method is not direct. They are trying to make a division of votes to win. They are using some organizations. This is the experience that people have had all these years. But this time, it will be a direct fight between MVA and Mahayuti,” he said.

Slamming on Mahayuti through the recent visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, said the differences between the three parties from Mahayuti they are out in the open. “There are seat grabs, administrative issues, about clearing files. Corruption in the State has reached an unprecedented level. BJP has tried to spoil the seats of its alliance partners. People can see all this for themselves,” he said.

Maratha leader from Marathwada, Manoj Jarange-Patil has threatened to start another agitation from September 16. Two government Ministers recently talked to him, but he expressed his determination to riot. The Maratha reservation issue has played a role in the Lok Sabha elections.

When asked how the issue will affect the current election, he said, “There are two aspects. Earlier there was celebration that Jarange-Patil’s request has been accepted. But no one knows what assurances the government has given. Whatever the assurance, Mahayuti the government must comply. Secondly, the dissatisfaction is not only in the Maratha community, but also in other communities. The Dhangars, for example, feel cheated. He was also given bail by the government. So various sections of society feel cheated. He felt that the BJP gave its word, but did not keep it. And the discontent among the different communities will be reflected in the upcoming elections.