The development came two days after the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena, in another setback for the Congress, announced its support for Arvind Kejriwal라이브 바카라 AAP in the February 5 Delhi Assembly elections.
In a setback to the INDIA Bloc, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), a key constituent of Maharashtra's Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), on Saturday announced to contest local bodies polls solo. The move raised a question mark over the opposition bloc's unity.
The development came two days after the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the party announced its support for Arvind Kejriwal라이브 바카라 AAP in the February 5 Delhi Assembly elections.
According to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, the lack of opportunities for workers of respective parties in an alliance and the right to organisational growth as the major considerations for contesting solo.
"In an alliance, workers of individual parties don't get opportunities, and it hampers organisational growth. We will contest polls to the Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur and other municipal corporations, zilla parishads and panchayats on our strength," he told reporters.
Raut further asserted that the INDIA bloc and Maha Vikas Aghadi alliances- comprising Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP)- were meant for Lok Sabha and assembly elections.
Blaming Congress for the lack of coordination in MVA, Raut also hit out at Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar for indulging in a blame game over the MVA's defeat in the assembly polls.
The Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP won 230 of the state라이브 바카라 288 seats in the recently held assembly polls, shrinking MVA's tally to 46 seats, with Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP) each contributing 20, 16 and 10 seats, respectively.
Reacting to Raut's announcement, a Congress leader said the party's central leadership will take a call on whether Congress will contest solo or otherwise in local body polls, the schedule of which is yet to be declared.
NCP (SP) group leader in the legislative assembly, Jitendra Awhad, said they can't stop Sena (UBT) if it's keen to go alone.
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"If they wish to go alone, who are we to stop them? We can't take along anyone forcibly. We need to stay together after the assembly poll defeat. I don't think that's the right decision. Poll prospects of all three MVA parties will be impacted," he said.
NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule said the parties always contested local bodies polls solo.
"Local bodies' elections are of the party workers. If we contest these polls as per our convenience what should the cadre do; only lift mattresses of leaders?" she asked.
Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) said the Sena (UBT)'s decision will impact the poll prospects of all three constituents of the MVA coalition.
(With PTI Inputs)