Maharashtra local body elections: Congress rules out alliance with MNS, says ‘will not tie up with intimidators'

Congress on Friday has ruled out an alliance with the Raj Thackeray-led MNS. File Pic

Mumbai Congress on Friday has ruled out an alliance with the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for the upcoming Maharashtra local body elections and said that it ‘will not tie up with intimidators', reported the PTI.

The Congress said that the party will not partner with those who break the law or intimidate people -- a clear reference to the Raj Thackeray-led party's "sons-of-the-soil" style of politics.

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Reacting to the remarks, MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande said that the party functions independently and is not part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP), according to the PTI.

"Raj Thackeray takes the decisions in our party. What others say has nothing to do with us," he stated.

Congress recently announced that it would contest the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on its own, a decision that comes amid increasingly warm ties between Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray's MNS. The announcement prompted Shiv Sena (UBT) to urge Congress not to rush into a solo contest and to consider the importance of Opposition unity, as per the PTI.

Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad told reporters on Friday that all alliance-related decisions were taken after consulting party workers, leaders and senior functionaries. She emphasised the Congress's long-standing relationship with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), recalling their joint contests in past Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the news agency reported.

She added that some factions of the Republican Party of India (RPI) were inclined to join Congress, but made it clear that the party "will not tie up with those who take the law into their own hands or indulge in intimidation" -- an another indirect swipe at the MNS, as per the PTI.

A section within Congress strongly opposes allying with the MNS, fearing it may alienate north Indian and Muslim voters.

Responding to reports that Sharad Pawar was attempting to bring the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS together, Gaikwad said the veteran leader enjoys cross-party respect but stressed that Congress had not held any discussions on such an alliance.

"Hypothetical questions have no meaning," she said.

Gaikwad also sidestepped a question on NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule's comments urging Opposition parties to contest the civic polls together. Sule had said her party would discuss the possibility of joint contests with Shiv Sena (UBT) and review the political environment in Maharashtra, as per the PTI.

Gaikwad reiterated that Congress's fight is against the BJP and that its decision to contest alone was made after wide consultation and conveyed to the party high command.

She accused the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena of neglecting Mumbai's real issues, including law and order concerns, women's safety, corruption in the BMC, irregularities in cluster redevelopment, pothole-ridden roads, pollution, and problems linked to health, education and the suburban rail network.

"Instead of addressing Mumbai's pressing concerns, the BJP and Shinde Sena focus on caste and religion to determine who will become mayor and attempt to polarise the elections. Mumbai's citizens are wise and will vote responsibly," she added, the news agency reported.

(with PTI inputs)