Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and senior Congress leader, Prithviraj Chavan, recently shed light on the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) strategy concerning the Chief Ministerial candidate for the upcoming state elections. Speaking with the Free Press Journal on Wednesday, Chavan explained that the MVA, which includes Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and the Shiv Sena (UBT), has not yet put forth a Chief Ministerial candidate, adhering to a strategic approach that Congress has historically followed when in opposition.
Chavan clarified that naming a Chief Ministerial candidate too early could potentially destabilize the alliance if the designated party does not secure a majority of seats. “Whenever Congress has been in the opposition alliance, we never named a CM face while in opposition,” Chavan noted, emphasizing the importance of maintaining unity within the coalition.
He further elaborated that the final decision on the Chief Minister will be made democratically, with the party that wins the most seats likely taking the CM position. However, this decision will not be unilateral; it will require approval from the party leadership in Delhi and the alliance partners in Maharashtra. “The process of selecting a CM candidate will be done transparently and in line with the alliance’s democratic principles,” Chavan added.
Chavan also addressed recent rumors about Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), visiting Delhi to discuss the Chief Ministerial face with top Congress leaders. He dismissed these speculations as baseless, reaffirming that the MVA’s approach to candidate selection remains consistent and transparent.
The conversation with Chavan comes on the heels of the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) announcement on August 16 regarding the General Elections for the Legislative Assemblies of Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana. Many political observers were keenly awaiting an announcement for Maharashtra’s election dates, given the state’s highly charged political atmosphere.
However, the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, pointed out that several factors influenced the decision to delay Maharashtra’s election schedule announcement. These factors included the region’s heavy rainfall, the upcoming Ganpati and Diwali festivals, and the need for increased security in Jammu & Kashmir. Kumar emphasized that the decision to announce Maharashtra’s poll dates at a later stage was not influenced by political considerations. He also noted that the decision to conduct Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana elections together in 2019 played a role in the current scheduling.
As the legislative term for Maharashtra’s assembly is set to expire on November 26, the state remains in a politically charged atmosphere. With tensions high between the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition MVA, the upcoming elections are poised to be a significant test for all political stakeholders involved.