<p>Mumbai: With weeks ahead of the announcement of elections to the local bodies elections in Maharashtra, the Congress on Saturday seemed to be divided over the issue of whether or not to take along Raj Thackeray-led MNS. </p><p>As the Maha Vikas Aghadi prepares for the big battle after the massive losses that it suffered in the 2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has strongly pitched for inclusion of Raj Thackeray into the opposition grouping with the Congress totally against it though NCP(SP) supremo Sharad Pawar appears to be on the call of widening the alliance.</p><p>On Saturday, Congress Legislative Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar seemed to soften his stand - in the wake of the Congress debacle in the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections. </p><p>“Ultimately, ideology matters. We are positive towards a united fight, including MNS. Everyone must come together to defeat the BJP," the two-time former Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.</p><p>He also spoke about the MNS's participation in the morcha organised by the opposition MVA in Mumbai against the alleged discrepancies in the voters' list.</p><p>In fact, earlier, state Congress President Harshavardhan Sapkal and his Mumbai counterpart and MP Prof Varsha Gaikwad, had expressed opposition to it. </p>.You have votes, I have funds; if you reject, I will too: Ajit Pawar tells electors.<p>Referring to Wadettiwar's remarks, Prof Gaikwad said he spoke about alliances at the state level, while the party's Mumbai unit has already made its stand clear that it will not align with the MNS for the BMC polls.</p><p>Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule criticised the Congress for what he described as its "politically convenient" shift in stand over aligning with the MNS. "The party leadership had adopted that stance, fearing a backlash from voters in the recently held Bihar assembly elections. Now the Congress is changing its stand for its own convenience ahead of civic polls in Maharashtra," he said. </p><p>Pawar aide and former minister Jitendra Awhad, when asked about the MNS, said that no proposal has come yet. </p><p>On the other hand, on Mumbai MNS chief and party spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande’s description of Congress as an “amoeba”, Congress leader Sachin Sawant said: “reacting to MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande calling Congress an amoeba, Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, "Science tells how an amoeba holds its ground. And politics tells how some change colours. Rather than changing colors like a chameleon out of fear of challenges in every election — The Congress has the ability to hold its ground like an amoeba, facing every upcoming challenge.”</p>
<p>Mumbai: With weeks ahead of the announcement of elections to the local bodies elections in Maharashtra, the Congress on Saturday seemed to be divided over the issue of whether or not to take along Raj Thackeray-led MNS. </p><p>As the Maha Vikas Aghadi prepares for the big battle after the massive losses that it suffered in the 2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has strongly pitched for inclusion of Raj Thackeray into the opposition grouping with the Congress totally against it though NCP(SP) supremo Sharad Pawar appears to be on the call of widening the alliance.</p><p>On Saturday, Congress Legislative Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar seemed to soften his stand - in the wake of the Congress debacle in the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections. </p><p>“Ultimately, ideology matters. We are positive towards a united fight, including MNS. Everyone must come together to defeat the BJP," the two-time former Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.</p><p>He also spoke about the MNS's participation in the morcha organised by the opposition MVA in Mumbai against the alleged discrepancies in the voters' list.</p><p>In fact, earlier, state Congress President Harshavardhan Sapkal and his Mumbai counterpart and MP Prof Varsha Gaikwad, had expressed opposition to it. </p>.You have votes, I have funds; if you reject, I will too: Ajit Pawar tells electors.<p>Referring to Wadettiwar's remarks, Prof Gaikwad said he spoke about alliances at the state level, while the party's Mumbai unit has already made its stand clear that it will not align with the MNS for the BMC polls.</p><p>Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule criticised the Congress for what he described as its "politically convenient" shift in stand over aligning with the MNS. "The party leadership had adopted that stance, fearing a backlash from voters in the recently held Bihar assembly elections. Now the Congress is changing its stand for its own convenience ahead of civic polls in Maharashtra," he said. </p><p>Pawar aide and former minister Jitendra Awhad, when asked about the MNS, said that no proposal has come yet. </p><p>On the other hand, on Mumbai MNS chief and party spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande’s description of Congress as an “amoeba”, Congress leader Sachin Sawant said: “reacting to MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande calling Congress an amoeba, Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, "Science tells how an amoeba holds its ground. And politics tells how some change colours. Rather than changing colors like a chameleon out of fear of challenges in every election — The Congress has the ability to hold its ground like an amoeba, facing every upcoming challenge.”</p>