Blow to INDIA Bloc in Maharashtra as Uddhav's Shiv Sena to contest local body polls alone

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut stated that going solo would provide party workers with more opportunities and boost organisational growth.

"In alliances, party workers don’t get enough scope, which hampers organisational development. We will rely on our strength," he was quoted as saying by India Today.

Raut also criticised the INDIA bloc for its inefficiency in Maharashtra, pointing out that a convener was never appointed.

"This responsibility lay with the Congress, being the largest party in the alliance, but they failed to convene a meeting," he added, according to the report.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, formed in 2019 under Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, and Sonia Gandhi, united Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress.

The coalition joined hands with other regional parties like DMK and Trinamool Congress to establish the INDIA bloc for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Raut also criticised senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, who had blamed alliance partners for the MVA's defeat in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, noting that no INDIA bloc meetings had occurred since the Lok Sabha elections last year.

Meanwhile, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) leader Prakash Ambedkar alleged that Uddhav Thackeray’s decision to withdraw from the MVA alliance was driven by personal interests concerning his son Aaditya Thackeray, India Today reported.

The announcement follows NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) chief Sharad Pawar's recent remarks praising the RSS for its disciplined methodology and Hindutva campaign, which he credited for the BJP's success in last November’s state assembly elections.

Addressing party workers in Mumbai, Pawar expressed frustration over their complacency despite the MVA's strong performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.