June 15th 2024.
In a recent press conference, the leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance expressed their gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for creating a favorable political atmosphere for their coalition. Sharad Pawar, the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), took a playful jab at the Prime Minister, stating that the BJP and its allies had faced defeat in every place where Modi held roadshows and rallies in Maharashtra.
Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of the Shiv Sena, was upbeat and optimistic after the alliance's victory in the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra. He emphasized that this was just the beginning and the opposition alliance would continue its winning streak in the upcoming state assembly elections. Thackeray, along with Sharad Pawar and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan, addressed the media in a joint press conference, following a meeting to discuss preparations for the upcoming elections in October.
Thackeray credited the people of Maharashtra for showing how hollow the myth of the BJP's invincibility truly was. He stated that their victory in the Lok Sabha polls was only the first step, and the real struggle for democracy had just begun. He also noted that the "Modi sarkar" was now the "NDA sarkar," and how long it would last remained to be seen. Thackeray also addressed the BJP's criticism of the Maha Vikas Aghadi as an "unnatural alliance," asking whether the alliance at the Centre should now be labeled as natural or unnatural.
Responding to the BJP's claims that the opposition had spread fake narratives during the elections, Thackeray questioned the BJP's own narrative of the "INDIA alliance" planning to take away people's wealth and distribute it among those with more children, along with other outrageous claims. He also dismissed the BJP's allegations that the Shiv Sena only received votes from Muslims and not from its traditional support base of Marathi-speakers, stating that patriotic people from all religions had voted for the opposition alliance.
Thackeray also pointed out the BJP's losses in Uttar Pradesh, particularly in the Faizabad constituency where Ayodhya is located, stating that the Lok Sabha results had made Lord Ram "BJP-mukt." He then put an end to speculations that he may return to the BJP-led NDA, stating that he would not announce such a decision while sitting with his MVA allies.
Both Thackeray and Sharad Pawar denied the possibility of taking back any rebel leaders from their respective parties. They were both asked about the return of some leaders from the Shiv Sena and NCP, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, respectively. Thackeray also pointed out the irony of Union Minister Amit Shah's past speeches denying any possibility of an alliance with TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu and JD leader Nitish Kumar, who are now supporting the Narendra Modi government.
Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan stated that a change of government was imminent in Maharashtra after the Lok Sabha results. He also emphasized that there was no hierarchy within their alliance and they would work together to win in every assembly segment, fielding candidates who could ensure the alliance's victory. When asked about the chief ministerial candidate, Thackeray responded by asking the ruling alliance to first declare their own choice for the position.
In response to some RSS leaders questioning the BJP's decision to include Ajit Pawar in the ruling alliance, Sharad Pawar quipped that they were simply speaking from their own experiences. In the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections, the Congress won 13 seats, a significant increase from the solitary seat they won in 2019. The Shiv Sena won nine seats and the NCP won eight seats. A Congress rebel, Vishal Patil, also won a seat and later extended his support to the party.
In comparison, the ruling Mahayuti coalition only won 17 out of 48 seats, with the BJP's seat tally dropping from 23 to nine. The Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, won seven seats, while the NCP, led by Ajit Pawar, only managed to win one seat.
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