'MVA will disintegrate soon': Mumbai BJP chief's big claim ahead of Maharashtra assembly polls 

Ahead of crucial assembly polls, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar on Thursday made a stunning claim that the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will collapse soon. He said the opposition alliance of Congress, Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, and Sharad Pawar's NCP does not exist. 

"There does not exist anymore an entity called Maha Vikas Aghadi. Aghadi does not exist anymore. They are not ready to listen to each other," Shelar said.

During seat-sharing talks, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had made some adverse comments against Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole. Raut said Patole was not capable of taking decisions and that he needed approval for everything from the Congress high command. Patole countered him, saying if Sanjay Raut was controlling Uddhav Thackeray, that was Sena's issue. 

Referring to this tension between the duo, Shelar said Patole and Raut were at loggerheads. "Uddhav Thackeray has made it clear that he won't speak to some leaders. Aaditya Thackeray is doing his work but not speaking with others. There are already 3 factions in Congress. They are not ready to cooperate with each other. Pawar Sahab seems to be finding it difficult in bringing them together and going ahead. So, I think Maha Vikas Aghadi does not exist anymore. They will disintegrate soon."

The Mumbai BJP chief said that the MVA is not going to come to power. "I think when their ground has slipped beneath their feet, their base is going down, people are switching and voters are abandoning them, they are making statements to gain confidence," he said while speaking to news agency ANI. 

Shelar also hailed Shinde Sena's decision to field Milind Deora against Aditya Thackeray in Worli. He said Deora knows Worli better than Aaditya Thackeray. "He has been an MP from there. He has been active there since the time of his father. Aaditya Thackeray has known about Worli only for the last 5 years. He lives in Bandra. He doesn't have the guts to contest from there, so he came to Worli. So, the age is towards Milind Deora. Anti-incumbency is for Aaditya Thackeray. So, Milind Deora will win easily."