Pawar’s move to step down puts future of MVA at stake

Sharad Pawar's decision to step down as NCP president has left the future of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) uncertain. Leaders from Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) are unsure if the party without Pawar at the helm will stay with the coalition or join the BJP. MVA leaders believe the timing of Pawar's move is crucial, as several senior leaders led by Ajit have been insisting on going with the BJP. The next public rally planned by the MVA at Pune on May 16 has been put on hold.

As the NCP is grappling with the upheaval Sharad Pawar’s decision to step down as president has brought to the party, the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) that was once perceived as a formidable opponent to the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis duo, stares at an uncertain future.

Mumbai, India - May 01, 2023: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thakeray) leader Uddhav Thackeray along with NCP leaders Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad, Congress leaders Nana Patole, Balasaheb Thorat and Ashok Chavan during a "Vajramuth" public rally of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), Bandra, in Mumbai, India, on Monday, May 01, 2023. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

Leaders from the NCP’s partners - Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) - are not sure if the party without Pawar at the helm will stay with the coalition or go with the BJP. Significantly, the next public rally planned by the MVA at Pune on May 16 has been put on hold.

“It was Pawar who had mooted the idea of the MVA in 2019 and was instrumental in bringing the three parties together. He was also the force behind the MVA and more importantly would strategise in anticipation of the BJP’s moves. If he chooses to step aside and his nephew Ajit Pawar has a bigger role in the party, there are chances that the party would join hands with the BJP,” a Sena (UBT) leader, who did not wish to be named, said.

“We also don’t know how much Pawar himself would be involved in the MVA affairs now. It would mean a serious setback to the coalition,” he added.

MVA leaders believe the timing of Pawar’s move is crucial as several senior leaders led by Ajit have been insisting on going with the BJP. This means Pawar is either offering the leaders freedom to take a decision for political realignment, or he is creating an atmosphere in the party in which Ajit-led group may not have it easy to do what they want, they say.

Barring one or two, Congress and Sena (UBT) leaders have reacted cautiously to the developments.

“It is quite clear that the BJP does not want a strong opposition in Maharashtra. The MVA parties together can win a significant number of Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 elections. It could adversely affect the BJP’s calculations. As such, efforts could be made to break the MVA. It appears that the NCP is a soft target,” a Congress leader and former chief minister said.

“Since the three parties came together, the ruling alliance has not performed well in elections. We won Andheri and Kasba Peth assembly bypolls and three of the five legislative council seats. The recent APMC elections also showed that the MVA together had more numbers than the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena. If the MVA continues in its current form, it could damage the BJP’s prospects,” he added.

The Congress leader further said they would wait for the next few days to see which way the NCP was headed and would then discuss the situation.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a few Sena (UBT) leaders met party chief Uddhav Thackeray to discuss the crisis. Thackeray reportedly told them he would soon speak to Pawar senior to get a clarity on what is happening in the NCP. Unlike the speculations that the NCP may join hands with the BJP, Thackeray still believes that Pawar will not support that decision, it is learnt.

In a related development, the next MVA rally planned at Pune on May 16 has been postponed. There is also a question mark over the future joint rallies the three parties have planned to showcase their strength.

However, NCP leader Praful Patel said, “I want to clarify that on May 1, during ‘Vajramooth’ rally, leaders from all the three parties decided to postpone future events. The decision was taken because of the heat and the rising temperature. It has nothing to do with Pawar saheb’s decision.”

(With inputs from Saurabha Kulshrestha)