Uddhav calls to freeze CM candidate in MVA meet; Pawar & Patole push for govt change

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday insisted that MVA decide its chief ministerial face first rather than going by the logic of which party wins most seats, asserting that he would back any candidate announced by the Congress and NCP (SP).

His Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Sharad Pawar, who heads NCP(SP), and Congress pitched for focussing on unseating the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition in the state.

Addressing party workers of the Opposition bloc MVA, Thackeray said if the Lok Sabha polls were to protect democracy and the Constitution, then the Assembly polls are a fight to preserve Maharashtra’s self-respect.

Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly are likely to be held in October or November.

Pawar stressed the need for a single-point agenda to change the government in Maharashtra if the situation has to improve in the state.

He told the MVA cadres that the three partners will take along the Left outfits, Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWP) and the Samajwadi Party by giving them due respect, and present a united face before the people of the state.

The Sena (UBT) chief insisted that the chief ministerial candidate must be decided first, rather than by the logic of the party that wins the most seats in the elections.

Thackeray said the experience he had during his alliance with the BJP was that whoever had the numbers would get the CM’s post. But this policy was detrimental as this would lead to one party trying to defeat the other’s candidate to maintain an upper hand in the alliance, he said.

“First, decide (the CM’s face) and then go ahead but do not go by this policy (those having the most seats will get the CM’s post). Uddhav Thackeray will back any candidate announced by Congress and NCP (SP) as the CM face of MVA. I don’t have the feeling that I am fighting for myself but it is for the rights of Maharashtra,” he said.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said the top leaders will decide who will be made the chief minister but it is necessary to dislodge the Mahayuti government.

Thackeray also asked the MVA cadres to rise above self-interest and fight for the sake of protecting Maharashtra’s pride and interest and urged them to be the ambassadors of the Opposition alliance in the state.