Congress Leader Rules Out Alliance With Uddhav, Raj For BMC Poll

Mumbai: Senior Congress leader and former Mumbai chief minister Bhai Jagtap on Wednesday said the Congress will not ally with Raj Thackeray or even Uddhav Thackeray in the upcoming civic elections in Mumbai. Mr. Jagtap said almost all Congress workers expressed the same view in a meeting with the party’s Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala.

Mr. Jagtap said, “This is the struggle of grassroots workers. I have said that we have to fight alone. I am not the only one in the party with this stance; our Political Affairs Committee believes that the Congress should go it alone for the upcoming BMC elections. We have conveyed our stand to the senior leadership but the final call is with the high command.”

The debate over the alliance has intensified in the Congress following signs that the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) will join hands with the Shiv Sena (UBT). Sanjay Raut recently announced that Uddhav and Raj Thackeray will jointly contest the local elections and any party seeking an alliance with Uddhav’s group must also align with Raj Thackeray.

“Let alone Raj Thackeray, we will not even fight with Uddhav Thackeray in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections. I had said this when I was the president of Mumbai Congress. I also said the same to the Congress party of Maharashtra, which fielded Ramesh Chennithala, in a meeting of our political affairs committee,” Mr. Jagtap said.

Mumbai Congress President Varsha Gaikwad termed Jagtap’s remarks as her personal opinion but admitted that most of the party cadres preferred to contest the BMC elections without any alliance. “Everyone can express their personal views. While it is true that most of our members are against alliances, the final decision will be made by the senior leadership and everyone must abide by it,” he said.