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BJP says Sharad Pawar's remark on Maha Vikas Aghadi ‘personal opinion’
While NCP chief Sharad Pawar talked about the willingness among MVA leaders to work together, he remained non-committal on the next assembly elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday dismissed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Sharad Pawar's statement regarding willingness among Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) parties to contest the next Maharashtra assembly elections together as his “personal opinion”. Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the BJP's state unit chief in Maharashtra, claimed there is confusion among MVA leaders as well as the public about “how far the alliance will go.”
Amid the reports of a power tussle within the NCP, Pawar was asked whether MVA parties will fight the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections together.
He said, “Today, we are a part of Maha Vikas Aghadi, and there is a willingness to work together. But desire alone is not always enough. The allotment of seats, whether there are any problems or not- all this has not been discussed yet. So how can I tell you about this?”
Reacting to Pawar's remark, Bawankule said, “What Sharad Pawar has said is his personal opinion on Maha Vikas Aghadi. Pawar sahib will soon know if those who are abandoned by their own people can really lead MVA. There is confusion among its leaders as well as the public about how far the Maha Vikas Aghadi will go.”
While Pawar was non-committal, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut asserted that MVA will contest the next assembly elections together.
"Maha Vikas Aghadi will remain. Its prominent leaders are Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar. In 2024, MVA parties will fight (Maharashtra Assembly) election together," ANI quoted Sanjay Raut, a key leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), as saying.
Raut on Sunday claimed the "death warrant" of the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government has been issued and it will collapse in the next 15-20 days. Talking to reporters, Raut said his party was waiting for the Supreme Court's order and expecting that justice will be done. He was referring to the top court's judgement pending on a batch of pleas including one seeking the disqualification of 16 Shiv Sena MLAs who revolted against the Thackeray leadership.
“The government of the existing chief minister and his 40 MLAs will collapse in 15-20 days. The death warrant of this government has been issued. It is now to be decided who will sign it.”
