Uddhav keen on bringing Raj Thackeray’s MNS into the MVA fold for civic polls, but Congress leaders fear backlash and resist the move
(From left) MNS chief Raj Thackeray, Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, SS (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, and Congress leader and Vijay Wadettiwar, at a joint opposition press meet at YB Chavan Centre on Tuesday. Pic/By Special Arrangement
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) appears to be showing cracks ahead of the upcoming civic polls. A section of Congress leaders has opposed the idea of including Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in the alliance — a proposal being strongly pushed by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.
While Uddhav is keen on joining forces with his estranged cousin Raj for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other municipal elections in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Congress leaders believe such a move could hurt the party’s image beyond Maharashtra. “An alliance with the MNS might negatively impact the Congress party’s performance in other states,” said a senior Congress leader, requesting anonymity.
Many Congress leaders remain wary of the MNS due to its past campaigns targeting North Indian and non-Marathi-speaking communities in Mumbai. This history, they say, makes it politically risky to align with Raj’s party at the national level. In August, mid-day had first reported the growing speculation that Maharashtra’s political landscape could shift, with Uddhav either expanding the MVA to include Raj or breaking away to forge a separate front with the MNS.
Despite Congress’s reservations, the Shiv Sena (UBT) remains firm on bringing Raj into the alliance. With two key partners of the MVA now at odds over MNS’s inclusion, tensions within the alliance are beginning to show ahead of the crucial civic polls. Elections for the BMC, 28 other municipal corporations, and local bodies are expected before January 31, 2026, as per the Supreme Court’s deadline. The last BMC polls were held in 2017, and the civic body’s five-year term ended in 2022.
When asked about MNS’s possible inclusion, both Maharashtra Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal and Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut offered cautious responses. “The issue of MNS has not been discussed in the party yet. Whenever a decision needs to be taken, it will be done in consultation with the central leadership,” Sapkal said.
Raut echoed the sentiment, saying, “Congress’s state leadership will have to discuss the matter with their central leadership.” On July 5, the Thackeray cousins had announced that they were burying their past differences and would now work together for the cause of Marathi and Maharashtra — a move that could reshape alliances once again in the state.
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