Mumbai:

The sweep of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra has been widely attributed to the welfare programmes of the Eknath Shinde government. But a key factor has been the split in Muslim vote which has delivered a chunk of the state’s 38 seats to the ruling alliance. The Muslim population is more than 20 per cent in these 38 seats, making a key difference in the outcome of the election. Over all, the ruling alliance has won 22 of these 38 seats, way ahead of the 13 won by the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi.

The split in votes has hit the Congress hard – the party’s score has dropped from 11 to five. The Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena Uddhav has got six seats and Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction got two.

Of the 38 seats, the BJP has increased its tally from 11 in 2019 to 14. The Shiv Sena of Eknath Shinde has won six seats and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party two seats.

Of the remaining three seats, Samajwadi Party got two and Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM got just one.

The outcome indicates that the clerics failed to dominate the collective decision of the Muslim community – a situation that helped the BJP strengthen its allegations of “vote jihad” or consolidation of Muslim votes against the Mahayuti.

Denying Opposition allegations of polarisation, senior BJP leader Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said all communities are included in the slogan “Ek hain toh safe hain”. “People did not fall prey to the politics of appeasement and polarisation of the MVA, and came together to vote for development. All communities are included in our ‘Ek hain toh safe hain’ mantra,” he said.

“There was no place for appeasement, people here look at development and benefits,” said Salim Sarang, the president of the Muslim Welfare Association.

Among the big Muslim names who lost were NCP’s Nawab Malik and Zeeshan Siddiqui as well as Congress’s Arif Naseem Khan.

Data indicates that while the support of the Muslim community helped the MVA win a big victory in the Lok Sabha election held in May, what went against them in the Assembly polls were low enthusiasm, divided votes and communal polarization in some seats. In some seats, the presence of multiple Muslim candidates split votes.

For instance, in Aurangabad East, AIMIM state chief and former MP Imtiaz Jaleel lost to the BJP’s Atul Save by 2,161 votes. VBA’s Afsar Khan (6,507 votes) and SP’s Abdul Gaffar Syed (5,943 votes) split the Muslim vote in the seat, ensuring Jaleel’s defeat.

The only seat AIMIM won was in Muslim-dominated Malegaon Central, where its candidate Mufti Ismail, the sitting MLA, won by just 162 votes-the lowest margin in the state.

Meanwhile, in Bhiwandi West, Mahesh Chaugule of the BJP defeated Riyaz Azmi of the SP by 31,293 votes as Muslims also divided their votes between AIMIM’s Waris Pathan (15,800 votes) and Independent Vilas Patil (31,579 votes).
 

New Delhi:

Robin Sharma, the campaign strategist of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, told NDTV today that the Lok Sabha election results had spurred them to spruce up their act and get governance and the message about it shipshape before the assembly election was announced. 

“The fear of loss motivated us to work hard, make course correction and do whatever was needed to bring the alliance back on track,” he told NDTV in an exclusive interview. It left no room for complacency also ensured that the ruling alliance had dealt with the tough questions when the MVA was bickering over seat share and the all-important question of who would be the Chief Minister.

Consequently, “We were ahead in comparison to the MVA in terms of planning, preparedness, candidates, campaign strategy,” he said. 

He attributed the victory to the role played by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, saying it was “all about his hard work. He rolled out campaigns that really benefited people. He also campaigned in seats where the BJP and Shiv Sena were contesting, ensuring that their alliance is properly recognised by people”.

Asked if the Ladki Behen proved to be the X factor for the landslide win of the ruling alliance, he said, “Definitely… it gave a fillip to the campaign”.

“This is because Ladki Behen was not just an announcement, they received Rs 7,500 in their account during some big festival,” he said.  

“We have seen the data of how these women have started spending this money on themselves, taking care of themselves. Especially women who are suffering from anaemia. Involvement in schools have gone up and they have started saving money for themselves… So there is a lot of trust that we will deliver,” he said. 

“This is the first time women were receiving such money in Maharashtra. So it definitely helped us,” he added.

Mahayuthi — the ruling alliance of Mr Shinde’s Sena, Ajit Pawar’s faction of the Nationalist Congress Party and the BJP — are ahead on 236 of Maharashtra’s 288 seats.

The Opposition MVA – the Shiv Sena faction of Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar’s faction of Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress — are ahead on just 48 seats. 
 

New Delhi:

Maharashtra’s Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi will form the state’s next government and its Chief Minister will take oath on November 25, Congress’s state unit chief Nana Patole told NDTV today. Asked about the exit polls, which have predicted either an NDA victory or a hung house, he told NDTV in an exclusive interview, “Last time they predicted a Congress victory in Haryana and we lost. This time they are predicting our defeat. We will surely win”. 

The BJP’s Milind Deora was equally convinced about a victory of the ruling Mahayuti alliance. “I am not into numbers… but we will definitely win”. The reason of his confidence, he told NDTV, was that the alliance – working its way from the Lok Sabha election setback, “left no stones unturned… and checked all boxes”.

Mr Patole, though, brushed off the possibility. Asked whether the BJP hopes were justified and the Lok Sabha poll results were an aberration, he said, “When Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not prevail during the Lok Sabha elections, when will the likes of (Chief Minister) Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis do?”

Mr Patole also did not go into overall numbers, but predicted that the Congress would win 35 seats in Vidarbha alone and the alliance will make a clean sweep of the zone, winning at least 48 to 50 of the 62 seats.

The majority mark in the 288-member assembly stands at 145.

The Congress has contested 103 seats, the Shiv Sena of Uddhav Thackeray 89 seats and Sharad Pawar’s faction of the Nationalist Congress Party 87 seats. 

Six seats were given to other MVA allies, while there was no clarity on three assembly segments.

An aggregate of nine exit polls earlier this evening said the Mahayuti — ruling alliance of Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party and the BJP — could win 150 seats and the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the coalition of Uddhav Thackeray’s faction of Shiv Sena, NCP Sharadchandra Pawar and the Congress, may get 125. 

The exit polls that predicted an NDA victory include People’s Pulse, Matrize, Chanakya Strategies, and Times Now JVC. The naysayers are Dainik Bhaskar, Lokshahi Marathi Rudra and Electoral Edge.

The counting of votes will take place on Saturday. 

Mumbai:

“Complicated” is going to be the middle name of the assembly election in Maharashtra this year. But the state is bracing for an even tougher battle once the dust settles – one for the Chief Minister’s chair. No matter which side wins, ruling alliance Mahayuti or the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, that decision is unlikely to be simple or straightforward – so much so that many are expecting a political reconfiguration post-result, a sequel of what happened in 2019 that set the stage for a drastic political upheaval two years down the line.

What makes the situation complicated is resolute nature of the claimants — on each side, only two appear to be running for the top post.

It is difficult to assess the ambitions of both factions of the NCP. On one side is veteran leader Sharad Pawar, dubbed by many as the Chanakya of Maharashtra, on the other hand, there is his nephew Ajit Pawar, who is being seen as the “kingmaker” in this election.

In the ruling alliance, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena is eager to see its leader get the top job again, and many surveys have already declared him a popular leader. But that could prove insufficient should the Mahayuti win, with Devendra Fadnavis and his supporters waiting in the wings.

Back in June 2022, Mr Fadnavis’s supporters had been disgruntled over what they saw as short shrift to their leader despite the key role he played in steering the party back to power.

Mr Fadnavis had made his reluctance to accept the number 2 position clear – he accepted only at the last minute after orders from the party high command.  An extra chair had to be brought so he could join Mr Shinde on the dais for the oath ceremony at the Raj Bhavan.

This time, there are whispers that the BJP’s chief strategist, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is garnering votes for Mr Fadnavis. At a recent public rally, he said, “Maharashtra has a lot of faith in Modi ji and Fadnavis ji”. There was no mention of Eknath Shinde.

But the real drama appears reserved for the Opposition MVA should it come to power.

In 2019, the BJP had accused Uddhav Thackeray of breaking the alliance with his steadfast demand for the top post. This time, while Mr Thackeray has not been explicit, his allies are not expecting him to give up on his claim.

But unlike in 2019, a new claimant has appeared on the scene – the Congress with its 13 Lok Sabha seats.

While Mr Thackeray has repeatedly demanded that the Chief ministerial face of the alliance be declared well in advance, Congress’ big leader and former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan made it clear that the party which has more MLAs, will get the top job.

There is also talk of Sharad Pawar’s faction of the Nationalist Congress Party adding the veteran leader’s daughter, Supriya Sule, in the mix if need be.

Maharashtra votes on November 20 in a single phase and the counting of votes will be held on November 23.

Mumbai:

NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule has said political rapprochement with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is not possible till he is aligned with the BJP and said she will not be a chief minister post aspirant if the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is voted to power. In an exclusive interview with the news agency PTI, four-time Lok Sabha member Sule said people voted very assertively in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and there is clarity in the voters’ minds now.

She feels the opposition MVA, comprising the NCP (SP), Congress and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) will also do much better in the November 20 state assembly polls.

Out of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the MVA won 30 seats, and an independent supporting the opposition alliance also emerged victorious.

Last year, Ms Sule’s cousin Ajit Pawar and several other NCP MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde-BJP government in the state, leading to a split in the party founded by her father Sharad Pawar.

In June 2022, Mr Shinde led a rebellion against the Shiv Sena leadership, which led to a split in that party.

Ms Sule said, “It is hard to say whether Pawars can reunite with Ajit Pawar politically. As long as he is working for the BJP it will not be easy. Our ideologies still remain a challenge politically.”

ALSO READ | “I Know Only One Ajit Dada Who Didn’t Like Visiting Delhi”: Supriya Sule

On speculations that she could be the MVA’s chief minister face, she said, ”I am not contesting elections and the NCP (SP) has made it clear that we are not in the race for CM’s post. We have clarity and we will go along with whoever our partners decide .”

Asked if the upcoming assembly polls will settle the fragmented polity in Maharashtra, the parliamentarian said the Lok Sabha election results have settled the confusion.

”There is already clarity in the state. There is no issue as such except that the legal fight continues because of the illegal way parties were broken, the illegal way they were given to people…the fight will continue,” she said.

Ms Sule denied there was any strategy to contest only 10 Lok Sabha seats.

”Our party is about service and not strategy. We don’t strategise…we are focused on serving the nation and doing good policy work ,” she said.

The NCP (SP) is contesting 86 out of 288 assembly seats (as per the seat-sharing arrangement of MVA allies) in the state elections and is confident of doing well, she said.

Ms Sule said there was nothing wrong in the delay in finalising the seat-sharing formula among MVA allies.

“Alliance talks in a vibrant democracy take time, we must be respectful towards allies. We made sure we didn’t bulldoze anyone,” she said.

Ms Sule said she doesn’t see the contest in Baramati assembly seat, Pawars’ family bastion where Ajit Pawar is pitted against his nephew Yugendra Pawar, as anything more than an ideological fight.

ALSO READ | “Not Acceptable To Society”: Ajit Pawar On Why Leaving Family Was A Mistake

”We are aligned with the Congress and they with the BJP. We are fighting the BJP, so we fight their allies,” she said.

Expressing gratitude to voters for giving her the fourth Lok Sabha term this year, Ms Sule said she hoped the assembly polls will be fair in Baramati and claimed people were being threatened by the ruling dispensation.

“People are brave and I will stand by them,” she maintained.

On Ajit Pawar asking Baramati voters to make him happy by electing him, Ms Sule said for her contesting and winning elections is not for self-happiness.

”This is not happiness, this is service for me. My politics is about serving the nation and doing good and serious policy work,” she asserted.

”If I would ask for votes, it would not be for my happiness, it would be for people’s happiness. I want my every stakeholder to be happy. If they are happy, I will be happy,” she said.

On emotions at play in Baramati during the general elections and now in the assembly polls, Ms Sule said leaders are not allowed to show emotions in public.

”If a leader crumbles, how will the family members survive. Being a leader is a lonely job. We have to be empathetic and compassionate in our behaviour but not crumble emotionally,” she said.

On NCP’s division after she was made the party working president, Ms Sule said Ajit Pawar held a powerful position in decision-making, and she was ready to debate with anyone, including him, on how can she be blamed for the split in the party.

‘I believe in transparency,” she said.

Ms Sule said the MVA will get a clear mandate to provide an honest, stable and progressive government to end unemployment, corruption and inflation.

She also said that both (ruling and opposition) alliances decided not to project a CM face. Whether or not it is needed depends on time-to- time, situation-to-situation, she added.

Ms Sule also said the NCP (SP) was not a regional party.

”We were a national party, we were downgraded and our party was broken illegally and the fight continues in the Supreme Court. What was done to Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray was completely unfair,” she said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

It is raining poll promises in Maharashtra, with around two weeks to go before the assembly election. The ruling alliance Mahayuti and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, have both released their manifestos which make tall promises, especially to the women, farmers and the young people of the state.

Given the do-or-die nature of the coming battle, parties like Shiv Sena of Uddhav Thackeray or Sharad Pawar’s faction of the Nationalist Congress Party, released individual manifestos and made election announcements for every seat. 

While the ruling alliance is wooing voters with its 10 guarantees, the opposition has gone to the people with a “Panchsutra” (Letter of five promises) in its joint manifesto.

The Mahayuti’s 10 guarantees include:

1. . Increasing the amount of Ladli Behan Yojana from Rs 1,500 to 2,100 and a promise to deploy 25,000 women in the police force.
2. . Farmers guaranteed loan waiver and under the Kisan Samman Yojana, the amount to increase from Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 per year
3. . A 20% subsidy on MSP
4. . Old-age pension increase from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100 per month
5. . Stability in prices of essential commodities 
6. . 25 lakh jobs and education allowance of Rs 10,000 per month promised, training for 10 lakh students 
7. . Anganwadi and Asha workers promised a salary of Rs 15,000 and insurance protection
8. . 45,000 connecting roads in rural areas
9. . 30 per cent reduction in electricity bill
10.  Vision Maharashtra 2029 to be completed within 100 days

“Opposition parties were making fun of Ladli Behan Yojana. What will Rs. 1500 do?” said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. “I promise that the scheme will never be stopped. Many more important decisions will be taken as soon as the government is formed,” he added.

Congress’s Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, held a “Swabhiman Sabha” in Mumbai and released the five promises of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. 

The “Panch Sutra” promise of Mahavikas Aghadi includes:

1.  Under the Mahalaxmi Yojana, women will get Rs. 3,000 per month and free bus travel 
2.  Farmers will get loans up to Rs. 3 lakh, and an incentive of Rs 50,000 for repaying the loan on time.
3.  Caste-based census will be conducted, in which an attempt will be made to remove the 50% reservation limit.
4.  Health insurance up to Rs 25 lakh and free medicines 
5.  Financial assistance of up to Rs 4,000 per month for unemployed young people.

In the Lok Sabha elections, the “Constitution in danger” narrative had given a big advantage to the Maha Vikas Aghadi. This time too, Rahul Gandhi was seen waving the Red Book of the Constitution in Nagpur and Mumbai. 

He was joined by Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar.

The BJP, however, claimed the Red Book Mr Gandhi had brought was completely blank, and called it an insult to Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s Constitution.

Mumbai:

The deadline for filing nominations is over but there is no clarity on around 15 seats in Maharashtra. The ruling alliance of the BJP, Shiv Sena of Eknath Shinde and Nationalist Congress Party of Ajit Pawar is yet to announce the names of candidates for four seats. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi – Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP and the Congress – have not officially declared candidates for 11 seats. 

As of now, BJP has fielded 152 candidates, Ajit Pawar’s faction of NCP 52, and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena 80. This includes the seats they have given to smaller allies — four in case of the BJP and two for Shiv Sena.

In the MVA, the Congress has fielded 103 candidates, Uddhav Thackeray’s faction of Shiv Sena and Sharad Pawar are at 87. 

In the afternoon, Sharad Pawar had announced that 87 was the final number as far his party — the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) was concerned. But it still left the mystery over 11 seats intact. 

While some of these seats are expected to go to the smaller allies and the Samajwadi Party, there is no clarity on who gets what, or even how many. 

The unprecedented situation follows weeks of tussle in the Opposition camp. But the ruling alliance, which had more or less got its house in order, has allowed the suspense to grow. 

Hand in hand with the apparent indecision comes a near-trend of leaders turning rebel and filing nomination as Independents. 

The biggest case in point was Nawab Malik of Ajit Pawar’s NCP, who had filed two nominations from the Mankhud seat — one as an Independent and the other as an NCP member, till the party moved to back him just minutes before the deadline.

BJP spokesperson Shaina NC was also seen contesting from Mumbadevi on a Shiv Sena ticket. Even after her name was announced, BJP members were seen vying from that seat.

Mumbai:

The assembly election in Maharashtra this year has gone off script, with no clarity on which party is contesting how many seats in the ruling alliance or the opposition front. On the eve of the last day of filing of nominations, decision on nine seats in the ruling alliance is yet to be announced.

The image on the other side is even more blurred. The Maha Vikas Aghadi, which made headlines for weeks over its tussle over seat sharing, is yet to provide a final frame. The alliance has already gone past the 85-85-95 seat sharing and announced disparate number of seats.

Even so, there has been no announcement on 16 seats, while its other allies, including Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, wait in the wings.

In the ruling alliance, the BJP, which initially said it would contest on 150 seats, announced that they would contest on 146, leaving four seats for smaller allies — the Yuva Swabhiman Party, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha, Republican Party of India (Athavale) and Jan Surajya Shakti Paksha.

But two of its members have made an appearance on the list of the Shiv Sena of Eknath Shinde — party spokesperson Shaina NC from Mumbadevi and Amol Khatal, who is the candidate for Sangamner.

That leaves 138 seats to the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party’s Ajit Pawar faction.

The Shinde faction, which earlier announced 65 candidates, announced 15 more tonight, including Shaina NC, taking its total to 80. Like the BJP, the Sena has also given two seats out of its share to smaller parties — one each to the Jan Suraj Party and the Rajashri Shahuprakash Aghadi.

Of the 58 seats presumably left to Ajit Pawar, 49 candidates have been announced.

In the MVA, the Congress has already announced 103 candidates, the Uddhav Thackeray’s faction of Shiv Sena 87 and the NCP of Sharad Pawar 82 seats – taking the total to 272 of the state’s 288 seats.

The delay and indecision only underscores the premium placed on Maharashtra and this election, which is expected to be a referendum on the last several years of political upheaval in the state.

Maharashtra, which sends 48 members to the Lok Sabha, is next only importance to Uttar Pradesh, which, with 80 lower house seats, is seen as the Gateway to Delhi.

Over the last two years, the state has been rocked by massive political turmoil —  the split in Shiv Sena, the collapse of the MVA government and the passing of the reins of power to the BJP and the rebel faction of the Sena. It was followed by the split in the Nationalist Congress party of Sharad Pawar and the rebel faction led by Ajit Pawar joining the ruling coalition.

Part of the repercussion has been felt by the BJP and its allies in the Lok Sabha election earlier this year.

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi had won 30 of the state’s 48 Lok Sabha seats, the ruling alliance won 17. One seat went to an Independent. The Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena won nine seats, ahead of the 7 won by Mr Shinde’s faction.

The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) scooped up eight seats, compared to the one won by Ajit Pawar’s party. The biggest winner was the Congress, which went up from one seat to 13, bringing the BJP down to nine seats from 23.

Mumbai:

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was facilitating vaccine production in the country during the pandemic, the then-MVA government in the state was indulging in alleged scams.

Addressing the first mega rally of the BJP in Mumbai, where voting in the Lok Sabha polls will take place on May 20, Fadnavis claimed he would bring out a list of alleged scams that took place in the city civic body BMC and during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) regime (Nov 2019-June 2022).

“There was a great opportunity for the (MVA) dispensation in the state during the COVID-19 pandemic to demonstrate leadership. PM Modi was leading from the front and provided resources and raw materials to scientists to make the vaccine (against COVID-19).

“But they (MVA government) were indulging in scams like irregularities in supply of ‘khichadi’ (meal for labourers, homeless people) and procurement of body bags. They are ‘kafan chor’ (coffin thief) who did not even spare the dead in their plunder,” alleged the BJP leader, hitting out at his rivals.

The opposition MVA consists of the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).

“I will soon come out with a list of their scams. I will ask people to wait for sometime so that I can elaborate on their deeds,” said Mr Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio.

BJP Lok Sabha nominees Piyush Goyal (Mumbai North), Ujjwal Nikam (Mumbai North West) and Mihir Kotecha (Mumbai North East) were present at the rally along with the party’s city unit president Ashish Shelar.

Without naming Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, Fadnavis said, “Now a days, the standard of his speeches has gone down. He should not forget he is the chief of a political party. I want to warn those who use foul language against us that we can respond to their criticism more severely.” The deputy CM noted that the Shiv Sena under Thackeray’s leadership failed to bring mega projects in the metropolis despite controlling the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for years.

“The BMC’s functioning was always under their control, but they could not bring any mega project for the benefit of citizens of Mumbai. Prime Minister Modi gave projects like metro rail, STPs (Sewage Treatment Plants), Trans Harbour Link (Atal Setu), Coastal Road, the new international airport in Navi Mumbai and helped Mumbai local trains to get better. What is their contribution in any of these projects?” he wondered.

Mumbai has half a dozen Lok Sabha seats and all of them will vote in the fifth phase.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The Congress move to name Abhay Kashinath Patil from Maharashtra’s Akola has put a firm period to its intended  friendly ties with Prakash Ambedkar’s VBA (Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi). Though the alliance plans of the Maha Vikas Aghadi and the VBA fell through, the Congress and Mr Ambedkar had declared support for each other, especially in Akola, a seat the Dalit leader wished to contest.

In Telangana, the Grand Old Party has announced a candidate for Warangal — Kadiyan Kavya, who crossed over from K Chandrasekhar Rao’s Bharat Rashtra Samithi a few days ago. Ms Kavya is daughter of senior BRS leader and sitting MLA Kadiam Srihari, who also served as deputy chief minister in then BRS government. The sitting BRS Lok Sabha member from Warangal, Pasunoori Dayakar, also joined the Congress in Telangana recently.

In Maharashtra, when the MVA and the VBA were discussing seat sharing, the alliance was ready to give Prakash Ambedkar the Akola seat along with four others.

But after the VBA decided to go solo, the Congress — which had been the one pushing for a tie-up — had said it would support Mr Ambedkar from Akola. Mr Ambedkar, whose party has significant support among Dalits in the state, had also promised support to the Congress in multiple seats.

The national party’s move to field its own candidate from the seat, however, indicates it is no longer supporting the VBA as promised and vice versa.

Last week, Mr Ambedkar’s VBA had declared its intention to go it alone in the election, upset over the MVA’s failure to come to an understanding over a handful of contentious seats in the state. Mr Ambedkar later claimed he had spoken to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil and got his support.

Shortly after, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena UBT had jumped the gun and announced candidates for 17 seats, sparking speculation about an open rift within the MVA. Four of the 17 seats were coveted by the Congress.