Will MVA contest local body elections together? Maharashtra Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala has this to say

Maharashtra Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday said no decision has been taken yet on whether the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will contest the upcoming local body elections in the state together. Local and civic body polls, including elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, are expected later this year.

When asked if the MVA partners would fight the polls jointly, Chennithala told reporters that that the Congress will discuss the matter, adding the alliance "may or may not take place".

He also said the Congress has no objection to Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) head Raj Thackeray joining hands.

On Raj Thackeray’s recent meetings with Uddhav Thackeray, Chennithala said, “We have no idea about Raj’s (MNS) alliance with his cousin Uddhav Thackeray. No decision has been taken yet. I do not want to comment on a decision which has not yet been taken. It is their family affair. We have no issues if the two cousins join hands, but we will have to take a political decision on whether the alliance will take place or not.”

Responding to Chennithala’s remarks, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said whatever is in the minds of the people of the state will happen, adding that all parties need to come together to save democracy in the country, because if it does not remain, no one will have the chance to raise their voice.

The Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) had contested last year’s Lok Sabha and assembly polls together as part of the MVA.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance performed strongly—winning 30 of Maharashtra’s 48 seats—signaling a clear lead over the ruling NDA coalition. However, this success did not carry over to the state assembly polls later in the year. As trends showed, the MVA managed only about 50–60 seats in the 288-member house, a sharp drop that left it trailing massively behind the Mahayuti alliance and marking a humiliating reversal. 

(With PTI inputs)