Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar clarified the role of the INDIA alliance on Thursday, stating that its primary focus is on national-level elections, not local or state-level polls. This comes shortly after Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) announced its decision to contest the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections independently.
Speaking to the media, Pawar explained, “There has never been any discussion on state and local elections within the INDIA alliance. The alliance is solely focused on national-level elections. Regarding the upcoming municipal elections in Maharashtra, all decisions will be made within the next 8-10 days through a meeting, where it will be determined if we will contest together or independently,” he said, as reported by ANI.
The INDIA alliance, formed as a united opposition front against the BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, includes key players like the NCP, Shiv Sena-UBT, and Congress. However, the recent developments surrounding local elections in Maharashtra indicate that the alliance’s approach to municipal and state polls may not follow the same collaborative strategy.
Shiv Sena-UBT’s Decision to Go Solo
Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena-UBT announced its intention to contest the BMC elections independently, a significant development considering the party’s historical dominance in Mumbai’s civic body.
Pawar’s View on Delhi Assembly Elections
When asked about the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, Pawar expressed his support for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal. “In Delhi Assembly elections, my feeling is that we should help Arvind Kejriwal,” he stated, signaling potential collaboration between the NCP and AAP at the state level.