The atmosphere in Mumbai and suburbs is heated over Marathi and Hindi language. Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) are in the same camp on the Marathi issue. However, both the parties have not yet made any formal announcement about the alliance in the upcoming BMC elections. However, today in the rally taken out in Mira-Bhayander, MNS and Thackeray factions were once again seen together. Earlier on July 5, Uddhav and his cousin Raj Thackeray came together on one platform in Mumbai after two decades.
Many leaders of MNS and Uddhav Thackeray faction and a large number of workers attended this rally regarding the Marathi language controversy. Former MP Rajan Vichare of Uddhav Thackeray faction also participated in this rally. MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande and former MLA Nitin Sardesai were also present.
In view of the local body elections to be held in Maharashtra later this year, state Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal said, “Shiv Sena and Congress have come together to protect the Constitution. It will be appropriate to comment on whether their alliance will continue in the future or not, or what will happen to it, when the situation arises.” At present, Raj Thackeray is not a part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), but Shiv Sena (UBT) is part of the opposition alliance MVA.
Earlier, amid the ongoing discussions about Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray coming together, former Maharashtra Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan had said that the Congress will only talk to the Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) chief regarding the alliance and will leave the decision to form any kind of ‘auxiliary alliance’ to him. But many Congress leaders and workers want the party to contest the local body elections on its own.
In fact, a large section of the Congress wants the party to regain its lost ground by contesting the elections alone in those rural and semi-urban areas of the state where the BJP’s position is getting stronger.
It is worth noting that the announcement of Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections (BMC Election) can be made in a few days. In such a situation, this issue raised in the name of Marathi identity has become very important from the political point of view. Now it will be interesting to see who benefits the most from this issue in the coming days and what will be its electoral impact.
Elections for 29 municipal corporations, 248 municipal councils, 32 district councils and 336 panchayat samitis in Maharashtra are scheduled to be held later this year or early next year. These elections are the most important elections in the state before the next assembly elections in 2029.
