The political developments in Maharashtra’s politics for some time have launched a new debate within the Congress party. The wave of dissatisfaction is clearly visible among the Congress leaders involved in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, mainly due to the increasing proximity between Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin, Raj Thackeray, president of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). This growing proximity has given air to the demand for ‘Ekla Chalo Re’ within the Congress, especially in view of the upcoming BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) elections.
Sandeep Singh’s open letter: Congress symbol of internal restlessness of Congress
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Secretary Sandeep Lalan Singh has written a letter to the state president, making public the concern of his party. In this letter, he has expressed his opinion without any lactation that if the Congress party wants to get back its lost political identity and strength, it should not resort to any alliance. Singh has clearly stated that the party should rely on its strength, whether it is BMC elections or other local body elections.
According to Sandeep Singh, the Congress’ message is not reaching the public properly due to the alliance. The public does not feel that the Congress is standing on its strong ground and can contest elections on its own. It is also written in his letter that if the party still contests elections with the help of others, it will break the morale of the ground workers and the organization will become even weaker. He has warned the party leadership that if this important decision is not taken in time, the Congress will lose its accountability in front of the coming generations.
Why is the Congress afraid of the solidarity of Thackeray brothers?
Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray have had several meetings in recent months, causing the market of speculation in the political corridors. The possibility of forgetting the old bitterness between the two brothers and coming together has created a new challenge for the Congress. There are some major reasons behind this:
Polarization of Marathi vote bank: Marathi vote bank has been the main center of the political basis of both brothers in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra. If Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) become united, Marathi votes may be massively polarized. In such a situation, it will be very difficult for the Congress to maintain its own identity in a metropolis like Mumbai.
Weak status in coalition: Congress is considered weak in MVA alliance as compared to Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). In important elections like BMC, if the Congress has to compromise on seat-sharing with the Shiv Sena (UBT), it will have to renounce its seats, which will make the morale of its workers fall.
Congress lost identity: Congress has lost its political ground in Maharashtra in the last few years. Many veteran leaders of the party have either left the party or have been marginalized. As such, he is not getting a chance to demonstrate his strength by being involved in the coalition. The strategy of ‘Ekla Chalo’ can give the party a chance to strengthen its roots, but there is a lot of risk in it.
Political Mathematics of Thackeray Brothers: Political analysts believe that Uddhav and Raj Thackeray’s possible solidarity aim to strengthen their political hold in Mumbai and Maharashtra. If they come together, it will be a big challenge not only for the Congress but also for the BJP. However, this solidarity will have the most direct impact on the MVA alliance, as the Congress will be forced to reconsider its future.
Further path and challenges for Congress
This is a difficult time for the Congress. On one hand, she wants to maintain the MVA alliance, so that a strong front will be maintained against the BJP. On the other hand, he also has to save his political identity and morale of the workers. The demand of leaders like Sandeep Singh indicates that a large section within the party is now in favor of walking alone.
It will be interesting to see what the Congress takes in the upcoming BMC elections. Will she be with the alliance and will compromise for seat-sharing, or will she try to get back her lost identity by adopting the path of ‘Ekla Chalo’? This decision will decide the direction of the future of the Congress in Maharashtra. It is certain that if the Congress decides to fight alone, the future of the MVA alliance may also be in danger. At the moment, it has to be seen what the central and state leadership of the Congress decides in the matter.
