It is the INDIA bloc, not just MVA, which must decide on any new alliance partner in Maharashtra: State Congress chief

With increasing buzz about a possible political alliance between the Thackeray cousins, the Maharashtra Congress has expressed reluctance to join hands with any party that has a polarisation agenda.

Constitutional values and secularism are non-negotiables for the Congress, the party’s State chief Harshwardhan Sapkal told The Hindu when asked about the possibility of a partnership with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. “We are strictly against polarisation... If someone wants to be a part of the alliance, they will have to agree with Constitutional values,” he said, though he made it clear that there has not yet been any proposal for the MNS to join the alliance.

He emphasised that any decision on partnership with the MNS is not up to the Congress alone, nor is it a call for the Maha Vikas Aghadi, a State-level alliance of the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar), and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). “If any new alliance partner is to be added to the political equation in Maharashtra, all the INDIA bloc parties will have to sit together and take a call on it,” Mr. Sapkal insisted.

Thackeray cousins’ bonhomie

Mr. Sapkal’s remarks gain significance against the backdrop of the growing proximity between Mr. Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin Mr. Raj Thackeray, ahead of local body elections which are soon to be announced in Maharashtra.

Mr. Raj Thackeray recently shared the stage with all the leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi when they met Election Commission officials to complain about alleged irregularities in the electoral rolls. Two days later, the Thackeray cousins came together again for a Diwali programme inauguration where both their families were seen together. Their growing bonhomie has led to speculation about a possible alliance between their parties for the local body polls.

‘No political proposal’

Asked if the Congress would be open to a new alliance partner if the cousins come together for the elections, Mr. Sapkal said: ”It is not just the Congress, but the INDIA bloc partners which will decide at the national level if they want any new partner or not. Maha Vikas Aghadi is not there anymore. We are the INDIA bloc now. And, there is no such discussion so far. There is no such proposal as yet. If the cousins meet, their families are coming together, we don’t have any problems with it. Congress has been propagating ‘Mohabbat ki dukaan (shop of love)‘. That is their personal relationship. Politically, there is no such proposal.”

The Maharashtra Congress chief pointed out that though the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress also held different ideologies, the two parties had come together on the basis of a Common Minimum Programme.

Polarisation unacceptable

“Our priority is Constitutional values. We are against the BJP’s core ideology. Someone has to clear their stance, then we can go ahead and talk. If they want to negotiate, they have to agree with the constitutional values,” Mr. Sapkal said, laying down the ground rules for any alliance proposal. “Constitutional values are non-negotiable. We are strictly against polarisation of votes on the basis of religion, caste, gender, geography, region, language. If someone wants to polarise, we can’t tolerate it. It is mandatory for us to take secularism ahead. We are against such politics by default,” he said.

Several other Congress leaders have already expressed their apprehensions about being aligned with Mr. Raj Thackeray due to his strong anti-migrant stance and statements seen to be anti-Muslim. With upcoming elections in Bihar, home to many of Mumbai’s migrant workers, the Congress cadres and leadership in Maharashtra are not comfortable with bringing the MNS onboard.

Local alliances

The Congress has also decided to allow its district level leadership to decide on local alliances for the local body polls. “The equations for the local body elections are different. Congress, over seven months ago, had a common consensus in the party. All decisions should not be taken in Mumbai with respect to local body elections. We need to decentralise decision-making. District units should take decisions,” Mr. Sapkal said. “We have taken this decision a long time ago. And we have communicated it to our alliance partners as well. In each district, we have spoken with the office-bearers of the party. Alliances will be done at district level only, not at State level. Both the options — pre-election and post-election [alliances] — are open,” he said.

He added that the local party units in Mumbai had expressed their desire to fight the local body elections on their own strength. “We need to respect the sentiment of our cadres for fighting the elections alone. Alliance has become a political compulsion in Maharashtra. It is an egg first or chicken first situation. There are six players in Maharashtra right now,” Mr. Sapkal said.