Cracks in MVA? NCP (SP) skips opposition meet, sparks talks of merger with NCP

Mumbai: The fault-lines within the Maha Vikas Aghadi came out in open when the leadership of the NCP (SP) stayed away from the opposition grouping’s crucial and customary meeting on Sunday on the eve of the budget session of the Maharashtra legislature — a significant development amid reports that Sharad Pawar-led party is in talks with the NCP for a possible merger.

Besides, with a depleted strength, there is tussle among the MVA partners - Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar-headed NCP (SP) over how would get the nominations for the forthcoming biennial elections to Rajya Sabha and Maharashtra Legislative Council, where as per numerical strength, they can win just one seat each in the two Houses.

Besides, for the second consecutive session — there is no Leader of Opposition, either in the Legislative Assembly or in the Legislative Council.

Neither NCP (SP) state unit President Shashikant Shinde nor top leaders like former ministers Jayant Patil, Dr Jitendra Awhad and Rohit Pawar marked their presence in the matter.

At the fag end of the meeting and subsequent press conference, former MLA Milind Kamble arrived.

Jadhav said he had personally spoken to senior NCP (SP) leaders Patil, Rohit Pawar and Awhad about the meeting and they had conveyed that prior commitments would delay their arrival in Mumbai.

Jadhav claimed that he had also spoken to NCP (SP) Working President and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule on the matter. “There was a bit of a communication gap as well, but we are all together,” he insisted, attempting to quell speculation of discord within the opposition alliance.

The MVA has boycotted the customary tea meeting hosted by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the eve of the legislature session.

On Sunday, leaders from the opposition parties including Congress party’s Vijay Wadettiwar, Amin Patel and Satej Patil, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Aaditya Thackeray, Bhaskar Jadhav and Ajay Chaudhary and Anil Parab attended the meeting.

“You will all ask now…that there are three parties in the MVA…the opposition alliance remained united and there was communication gap,” Jadhav said, adding Kamble will join. A little later, he arrived.

The ruling BJP-led Maha Yuti took a dig at the opposition parties.

Asked about this, Fadnavis said: “How can we say about them…they have t say.”

“Heard about some communication gap…for a communication gap to happen there has to be communication,” Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said.

The terms of Sharad Pawar (3 April 2020 - 2 April 2026) and Uddhav Thackeray (14 May 2020-13 May 2026) will end back-to-back and this compounds the problem for the opposition grouping.

The seven retiring members of the Rajya Sabha are - NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar and party’s Fauzia Khan, BJP’s two members Dhairyashil Mohan Patil and Bhagwat Karad, RPI (A) chief and Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale, Congress party’s Rajani Patil and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Priyanka Chaturvedi.

Along with Thackeray, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, eight others will retire.

In the House, the Maha Yuti’s strength is BJP 131 MLAs (following death of Shivajirao Kardile), Shiv Sena (57) and the NCP 40 (after Ajit Pawar’s death) plus support of JSS (2), RSPS (1), RSPA (1), RSYP (1) and Independent 1.

On the other hand, the MVA and the full opposition strength include Shiv Sena (UBT) 20, Congress 16, NCP (SP) 10, CPI (M) 1, PWP (1), SP (2) and AIMIM (1).

In Rajya Sabha, if the MVA votes in unison, it can aim for one seat. Pawar has earlier indicated that he wants to hang up his boots from electoral politics, however, Thackeray’s aide and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut has pitched for the veteran in view of his importance and contributions to the state and national politics.

Similarly, for Thackeray’s election to the Legislative Council, the MVA has to be composite.

In this, the Congress will have to play a major role.

Earlier, Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut had claimed that Pawar had expressed his wish to be renominated to the Upper House of Parliament. However, his party colleague Aaditya Thackeray subsequently suggested that the arithmetic favours his party over its MVA allies Congress and NCP (SP) to stake claim to the lone Rajya Sabha seat they could secure.