Eye on 2019 polls: NCP keen to get MNS on-board mega alliance

Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, there’s a mega alliance of opposition parties in the making and one of its two main players, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is keen on getting the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on board.

According to two senior NCP leaders, the party had put forth this proposal in a recent meeting with the Congress. However, Congress leaders shot down this proposal and the MNS has also not officially accepted such a proposal.

Leaders from the NCP feel that by getting MNS on its side, the opposition coalition could impact results of around 25 assembly seats by splitting votes in the urban areas of the state, especially if the ruling saffron parties Shiv Sena and the BJP contest together. This includes assembly seats in Mumbai where Congress’ strength is depleted and NCP has a limited presence.

However, senior state Congress leaders opposed this move as it is worried that the induction of MNS into the fold would alienate their North Indian vote bank.

The Congress and NCP had declared a pre-poll alliance for the elections and are trying to bring in 10 other like-minded parties to form a mega alliance against the ruling combine. In a meeting held on September 26, NCP leader Nawab Malik proposed the idea of taking MNS into the fold.

“The MNS’ support will help make the opposition’s position strong in urban areas such as Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Pune and Nashik. There are some 25 assembly seats where MNS can have a direct impact. With MNS splitting votes of the saffron parties, our candidates can get an edge and in some seats, our votes can benefit the MNS candidate,” said a senior NCP leader, requesting anonymity.

The NCP leaders believe the MNS can have an impact in Shivadi, Byculla, Mahim, Ghatkopar East, Ghatkopar West, Magathane, Borivli and Mulund seats against the ruling combine.

The other NCP leader, also a former minister said that the MNS may also secure a win for the Congress-NCP in a few Mumbai Lok Sabha seats, namely South Mumbai, Mumbai South Central, Mumbai North East and Mumbai North Central.

“We are willing to share seats with MNS from our quota. The party is mulling to give seven assembly seats to MNS in Mumbai. We have also proposed to give the North Mumbai Lok Sabha seat to MNS against sitting BJP MP Gopal Shetty,” the leader said.

“Our ideology is different from MNS. They don’t follow the law of the land and they resort to violence in their politics thus NCP’s proposal was opposed at the state and central level,” said Mumbai Congress president, Sanjay Nirupam, to a news channel.

“The decision for an alliance has to be taken by the MNS chief. He had also said that political parties should unite to make Modi-mukt Bharat a reality,” said MNS spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande.

The Congress is worried that the move may upset the north Indian community in Mumbai as well as in north India, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar considering the violent protests against them by MNS over its ‘son-of-soil’ stand.

First Published: Oct 01, 2018 00:51 IST