The Congress will kick off its Maharashtra Assembly election campaign with a mega rally in Mumbai on August 20 to commemorate the 80th birthday anniversary of the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
By holding the event in Mumbai, the birthplace of the former Prime Minister as well as the Indian National Congress, the party is not only looking to assert its legacy but also sending a signal to its partners in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
Invitations are to be sent out to former Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray or UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, and Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to attend the rally that will be addressed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
In the run-up to the Maharashtra Assembly election, MVA partners could be jostling with each other for the pole position.
Mr. Thackeray’s recent visit to Delhi and his interaction with Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc leaders is being seen as his attempt to position himself as the predominant player within the MVA.
Mr. Thackeray has also dropped hints that he could lead the MVA again, if the need arose. “If my colleagues [in the MVA] feel that I have done excellent work, then ask them whether they want me as the Chief Minister. People will decide,” he had told reporters in Delhi in response to a question on whether he was willing to be the MVA’s chief ministerial face.
But the Sena (UBT)’s leadership claim could be challenged, especially given the Lok Sabha election results. Of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, the Sena (UBT) contested in 21 seats but managed to win only eight. On the other hand, Mr. Pawar’s NCP faction won eight of the 10 seats it contested.
The Congress emerged as the single largest party, winning 14 of 17 seats it contested. The Congress had an 82% strike rate, the NCP managed 80%, while the Sena (UBT)‘s strike rate was only 38%. Buoyed by the Lok Sabha election results, the Congress has drawn up elaborate mass contact programmes that include touring Maharashtra’s 36 districts.
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole has spoken in public of his view that the Congress should lead the MVA alliance.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Maharashtra, Ramesh Chennithala, said that there were no differences between the allies but struck a different note on the chief ministerial face. “The MVA is the face of the elections,” Mr. Chennithala told The Hindu over phone from Latur, adding, “There are no differences among MVA partners and we are all united to defeat the unpopular BJP-[Chief Minister Eknath] Shinde government.”
