NCP proposes MNS as member of grand alliance to overthrow BJP; Congress rejects proposal

Ahead of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has proposed Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) as a possible ally in the Congress-NCP grand alliance, to put up a strong front against the BJP. The Congress has reportedly rejected the proposal.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik told The Indian Express about the party’s strong reservations towards the inclusion of MNS to put up a strong anti-BJP front. “We feel all parties against the Narendra Modi-led BJP government should be included in the grand alliance. The NCP’s objective is to put up a stronger anti-BJP alliance. In such a situation, we believe every single vote and individual matters,” he said.

“The MNS’ support will help make the Opposition’s position strong in urban areas such as Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Pune and Nashik. There are some 25 Assembly seats where the MNS can have a direct impact. With MNS splitting the votes of the saffron parties, our candidates can get an edge and in some seats, our votes can benefit the MNS candidate,” Hindustan Times quoted a senior NCP leader who requested anonymity. The leaders believe the MNS can have an impact in Sewri, Byculla, Mahim, Ghatkopar East, Ghatkopar West, Magathane, Borivali and Mulund seats.

Senior state Congress leaders opposed the move as they are worried that the induction of MNS would alienate their North Indian vote bank, reported Hindustan Times.

Congress president Sanjay Nirupam rejected the idea, “MNS stands for everything the Congress opposes. They believe in hooliganism, beat up north Indians and indulge in anti-constitutional activities. We have clarified from the start that there can be no alliance with them and Delhi holds a similar view,”   The Hindu quoted Nirupam as saying.

The MNS, however, has chosen to stay silent.

Meanwhile, in a similar bid to create an anti-BJP front for the elections, Swabhimani Sattkar Sanghatana president Raju Shetty is set to meet Prakash Ambedkar, president of Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) on 6 October to formulate a strategy to defeat BJP, according to The Indian Express.

Congress and NCP leaders in Maharashtra began their preliminary seat-sharing talks on 11 September aimed at forging a “grand alliance” of “secular” parties to take on the BJP and the Shiv Sena. The two parties, that ruled Maharashtra for 15 years from 1999, were defeated in the 2014 Assembly elections by the BJP after they parted ways ahead of the polls.

Both the Congress and the NCP have already started their election preparations separately. The NCP has covered the state with its “Halla Bol yatra”, while the Congress launched its mass contact programme from western Maharashtra in September.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the NCP had bagged four seats, while the Congress got only two out of the total 48 seats in Maharashtra. In the Assembly polls held in October 2014, the Congress won 42 and NCP 41 out of the total 288 seats.