In a significant political development ahead of the Amravati Municipal Corporation elections, the Congress and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) have decided to contest the polls jointly. This alliance notably excludes their third Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partner, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction). The two allies have also agreed to have friendly contests in a limited number of wards.
Seat-Sharing Formula and MVA Unity
Congress leaders were quick to assert that this civic poll arrangement does not signal a rift within the broader opposition coalition, the MVA. Congress leader and former state minister Dr. Sunil Deshmukh addressed the media, stating that the alliance was formed by setting aside personal egos. He emphasized that successful talks led to a clear seat-sharing formula.
According to the agreement, the Congress party will contest 75 seats in the corporation. From its quota, it has allotted one seat to the Samyukta Republican Party. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has been allotted 12 seats. Dr. Deshmukh confirmed that while the two parties are allies, there will be friendly fights in some wards where both parties have strong local aspirations.
Why Was the NCP (Sharad Pawar) Excluded?
Explaining the notable exclusion of the NCP (Sharad Pawar) from the alliance, Dr. Deshmukh revealed that discussions were indeed held with senior party leaders Anil Deshmukh and Ramesh Bang. However, the talks could not progress further because the NCP did not submit a list of its prospective candidates at the local level, which is crucial for negotiating seat adjustments. Despite this, Dr. Deshmukh added a conciliatory note, saying, "Still, wherever possible, we will support NCP (Sharad Pawar)."
The Electoral Landscape Takes Shape
Meanwhile, the electoral battlefield in Amravati is becoming clearer as other parties announce their candidates. The Congress has officially released the names of 74 candidates so far from its allotted share. On the other side, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has declared 69 candidates, reserving six seats for the party of independent MLA Ravi Rana.
The rival Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is expected to field candidates for 69 seats. Furthermore, the NCP faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is contesting a vast majority of the seats, putting up candidates for 85 out of the 87 seats in the municipal corporation.
This sets the stage for a multi-cornered contest in Amravati, with the MVA partners presenting a partially united front against the BJP and its allied factions, while the two NCP groups find themselves on opposing sides of the political divide.
