Cracks in MVA as Uddhav Sena leader blames Cong for poll rout

Fissures emerged in the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi after the drubbing it received in the Maharashtra assembly polls, with Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader Ambadas Danve on Thursday saying the Congress got overconfident after the Lok Sabha elections.

Danve, the Leader of Opposition in the state legislative council, also claimed some Congress leaders started deliberating on portfolios even before winning the polls, while "ten leaders were keen on becoming chief minister".

Talking to reporters, Danve said had Uddhav Thackeray been the chief ministerial face of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, 2-5 percent votes would have swung in its favour.

Public opinion was in favour of Thackeray due to the work done by him as chief minister from 2019 to 2022, Danve asserted.

"The Congress got over confident after the Lok Sabha polls. The situation was favourable for the Congress in Jammu Kashmir, Maharashtra and Haryana. In Jharkhand, the JMM did a lot on its own strength," Danve said.

In polls held after the Lok Sabha results, the Congress lost in Maharashtra and Haryana.

"Congress leaders were deliberating on portfolios even before winning the polls and this is a fact. Ten leaders were keen on becoming the CM," said Danve.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi won 30 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. However, it won only 49 of the 288 seats in the November 20 state polls, results of which were declared on November 23.

The Shiv Sena-UBT emerged victorious on 20, Congress on 16, Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar on 10, Samajwadi Party on two, while one seat went to the CPM.

When asked if Shiv Sena-UBT will go solo in the local body polls, Danve clarified, "We have never said Shiv Sena-UBT is leaving the MVA. Shiv Sena-UBT should increase its strength in all 288 assembly seats."

On Wednesday, Danve said a section of party workers who met Uddhav Thackeray after the Lok Sabha polls wanted the party to contest future polls alone.

He also said there was no talk in Shiv Sena-UBT of any kind of rapprochement with Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.