Congress Pushes for Solo Contest in BMC Elections Amidst Alliance Dynamics

Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap urged the party to contest the impending BMC elections independently, even as it remains part of the Mahavikas Aghadi alliance. The decision, however, rests with the party's high command as discussions intensify amid allegations of 9.6 million fake voters in the electoral roll.

In a surprising move, Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap announced on Wednesday that the party should independently contest the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Currently part of the Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition with Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP), Jagtap believes an independent run would better serve Congress' interests. However, the final decision will fall to the party's high command.

This campaign push comes in the wake of Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena aligning with Shiv Sena (UBT) just ahead of the polls. Previously, on August 15, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut revealed plans for Uddhav and Raj Thackeray to jointly contest the BMC elections. Raut expressed confidence in their combined strength, alongside the support from Marathi communities, as pivotal in their prospective electoral triumph.

Election integrity issues have also come to the forefront, with MNS leader Raj Thackeray alleging the inclusion of 9.6 million fake voters. Addressing these concerns, Raut confirmed a united opposition protest slated for November 1 to demand voter list corrections. Plans for party chiefs Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray, and Sharad Pawar to confer with election officials underline the critical nature of these developments in the run-up to Mumbai's municipal election later this year.

(With inputs from agencies.)