MVA still recovering from assembly poll loss: Maharashtra NCP chief

Mumbai, Jan 11 (PTI) The Shiv Sena (UBT)'s decision to contest the local body polls solo reflects the unease in MVA caused by a massive defeat in the assembly elections, Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare said on Saturday.

He was reacting to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut's announcement earlier in the day on contesting the local body polls alone.

The NCP leader said the INDIA bloc and Maha Vikas Aghadi came into existence on the sole agenda of opposing PM Narendra Modi.

"The MVA is still unable to digest the drubbing they suffered in the Maharashtra assembly elections. A blaming competition is going on in the opposition bloc. This announcement of going solo in local body polls reflects the unease over the strong and stable governments in the Centre and the state," Tatkare told reporters.

The Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP won 230 of the state’s 288 seats in the recently held assembly polls, shrinking MVA's tally to 46 seats, with Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP) each contributing 20, 16 and 10 seats, respectively.

Tatkare said Mahayuti constituents- BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP- enjoy excellent coordination.

"A decision on contesting elections to local bodies (schedule of which is yet to be announced) will be taken unanimously by leaders of the Mahayuti alliance," he added.

Earlier in the day, Raut said since workers of individual parties don't get opportunities in an alliance which also hampers organisational growth, the Sena (UBT) will contest polls to the Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur and other municipal corporations, zilla parishads and panchayats on our strength. PTI