Four-way fight in Maharashtra local body polls

The Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents are unlikely to fight as one unit in the forthcoming civic and local body polls in Maharashtra. They are preparing to go solo wherever possible, with the possibility of some of them uniting later. Sources in the Congress said that the party is unwilling to join hands with its MVA partners in cities and districts where it has a significant following, and is confident of increasing its numbers.

The other two constituents, the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party, are also exploring solo run in places where they are strong, but not without giving a thought to an alliance, tacit or official, if need be.

State Congress president Nana Patole has been meeting local leaders across the state to prepare for an onslaught on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as the MVA partners, who, when not in alliance, will be treated as close rivals in the contest. Civic corporations like in Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Nagpur, etc. will have the Congress step up its independent existence, said a senior Congress leader, adding that the Sena and NCP were most likely to join hands in Mumbai and elsewhere where they gel well.

Political parties are preparing for civic and local body polls in Maharashtra. Representation pic

Last week, Patole presided over a meeting in which the party decided to stake claim to power in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation where it won two Assembly seats two years ago. Similar decisions will be taken for other cities and districts, giving thrust to the sentiment that the local leaders and workers do not want to ride on the crutches provided by other parties. Congress leaders in Mumbai have already conveyed their ‘let's-fight-alone' sentiment to the party high-command. The Mumbai unit has been preparing in this direction to keep up pace with the BJP and Sena who will be prime players in the battle.

Similarly, the Congress is reported to have turned down the MVA partners' suggestion for an alliance in the Goa and Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. Sena MP and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut has said that the Sena had suggested a MVA-like formation in the poll-bound states, but Congress is yet to respond. He said the Sena will contest in Goa and UP and is expected to ally with the NCP.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said the Congress is yet to respond to the party's suggestion. File pic/Rane Ashish

All eyes on SC directive

Stuck in the Other Backward Class's (OBC) political reservation, a matter related to the local body polls in Maharashtra will be heard in the Supreme Court on January 17. Earlier, the court had asked for completing the legal process to justify the OBC quota in local body polls. Since the terms of several civic corporations and ZPs are coming to an end, the State Election Commission is expected to declare the election programme, despite the state government's all-party resolution in the legislature that the polls should not be held without the OBC quota in place.

Sources said the SC's next directive will be crucial against this background. Neighbouring Madhya Pradesh faces a similar crisis. The SC is expected to hear both Maharashtra and MP the same day. The Centre has submitted a plea before the SC, to postpone the polls for two-three months.

The state government has sought a couple of months to collate and process the data that is required to justify the OBC quota. The backward class commission is on the job. Apart from the delay expected in collating the data, the SC could be requested to postpone the polls against the backdrop of the rising cases of COVID-19 in Maharashtra.