Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: Congress regroups as MVA allies put pressure after Haryana poll debacle

New Delhi: The Haryana debacle appears to have prompted the Congress to re-examine its strategy for the Maharashtra Assembly elections by evaluating caste combinations and taking steps to reach out to communities while ensuring that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) combine stay united.

Sources said at a meeting of state leaders chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by top leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday, the Haryana results and the way BJP managed to snatch victory from the party by managing castes came up for special mention. Leaders also discussed how allies are using the Haryana poll performance as a way to corner the party.

The meeting was attended by Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole, former president Prithviraj Chavan and Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar among others. Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal and Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala were also present.

“We have discussed the strategy for the upcoming assembly elections. We will win Maharashtra by defeating the strategy adopted by the BJP in elections. There is no issue of seat sharing, Maha Vikas Aghadi will contest on all 288 seats,” Patole told reporters after the meeting.

Sources said Rahul told the leaders not to be overconfident and all should put whole effort to defeat the BJP.

The MVA has already started tweaking its strategy. NCP CP (Sharadchandra Pawar) top leader Supriya Sule on Monday came out in support of the protest by Dhangar Samaj for reservation and expressed concern over the health of its leader Jayshree Waksay has gone on a hunger strike for the last eight days while attacking the BJP-Shiv Sena government.

Following the Congress’ Haryana debacle, allies NCP (Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT) have stepped up pressure on the party, which has emerged on the top with its performance in Lok Sabha elections in the state and at national level. However after the Haryana results, the allies have been publicly asking the Congress to be more accommodative.

Sources said the MVA has reached agreement in 90% of the seats but post Haryana elections, there is a need for realignment, taking into consideration caste and other factors. The Congress and its allies will have to factor in the fight between Maratha and OBC communities.

Congress will also have a tough time in convincing Shiv Sena (UBT) in not announcing a Chief Ministerial face. Sources said it would be demoralising for Congress cadre to announce a non-Congress leader as Chief Ministerial candidate and it could impact their campaign.

Chennithala told reporters that Chief Minister will be announced only after the elections and there is no question of declaration of a face before the polls.

At the same time, sources said, strict instructions have been given to state leaders to take all measures to ensure that the MVA remains strong at any cost.

A group of five pro-I.N.D.I.A parties — CPI(M), CPI, SP, Peasants and Workers Party and Satysodhak Communist Party — is holding a state convention in Nashik on October 16.

Citing that the Lok Sabha elections threw impressive results for the MVA but the difference in the voting percentage was a mere 0.4%, it has urged the MVA to take inclusive and comprehensive steps to ensure that the elections do not go the Haryana way.