NEW DELHI: NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday announced that his party, along with Congress and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), will contest the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections together.
The polls are scheduled to take place in October this year.
During a press conference, Pawar emphasized the moral obligation of the major opposition parties in Maharashtra to safeguard the interests of their smaller allies who were part of the coalition during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The NCP (SP), Congress, and Shiv Sena (UBT) are members of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which governed the state from November 2019 until the collapse of the Thackeray-led government in June 2022.
Pawar stressed the importance of presenting a united front to the people of Maharashtra and the need for change in the state. He stated, “As Arjuna’s target (in the epic Mahabharata) was an eye (of a fish), our eyes are all set on the elections in Maharashtra. The Congress, NCP (SP) and Uddhav Thackeray‘s Sena (UBT) will jointly contest the Vidhan Sabha polls.”
Although seat-sharing discussions have not yet begun, Pawar mentioned that they will start soon. He acknowledged the positive response received by the NCP (SP), Shiv Sena (UBT), and Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Pawar also highlighted the moral responsibility to protect the interests of smaller parties like the Left parties and the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP), who were part of the coalition but could not be accommodated with seats in the Lok Sabha.
When asked about the state budget presented by the Eknath Shinde government on Friday, Pawar remarked, “What happens if you go with an empty pocket in a market? It’s a matter of a few days, reality will be seen soon.”
The Maharashtra government’s budget for 2024-25, presented four months before the state polls, included a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 for women aged 21 to 60, three free LPG cylinders per year for households, farmer-friendly initiatives, and a monthly stipend of Rs 10,000 for youths undergoing skill training.
The polls are scheduled to take place in October this year.
During a press conference, Pawar emphasized the moral obligation of the major opposition parties in Maharashtra to safeguard the interests of their smaller allies who were part of the coalition during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The NCP (SP), Congress, and Shiv Sena (UBT) are members of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which governed the state from November 2019 until the collapse of the Thackeray-led government in June 2022.
Pawar stressed the importance of presenting a united front to the people of Maharashtra and the need for change in the state. He stated, “As Arjuna’s target (in the epic Mahabharata) was an eye (of a fish), our eyes are all set on the elections in Maharashtra. The Congress, NCP (SP) and Uddhav Thackeray‘s Sena (UBT) will jointly contest the Vidhan Sabha polls.”
Although seat-sharing discussions have not yet begun, Pawar mentioned that they will start soon. He acknowledged the positive response received by the NCP (SP), Shiv Sena (UBT), and Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Pawar also highlighted the moral responsibility to protect the interests of smaller parties like the Left parties and the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP), who were part of the coalition but could not be accommodated with seats in the Lok Sabha.
When asked about the state budget presented by the Eknath Shinde government on Friday, Pawar remarked, “What happens if you go with an empty pocket in a market? It’s a matter of a few days, reality will be seen soon.”
The Maharashtra government’s budget for 2024-25, presented four months before the state polls, included a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 for women aged 21 to 60, three free LPG cylinders per year for households, farmer-friendly initiatives, and a monthly stipend of Rs 10,000 for youths undergoing skill training.