MVA is here only for power, each ally has 2-3 CM aspirants: Sena

MUMBAI: The partners of the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi are interested only in power and each of them has two to three contenders for the chief minister’s post, said Shiv Sena leader Kiran Pawaskar on Saturday.

Reacting to the press conference by MVA leaders earlier in the day, Pawaskar attributed their success in the Lok Sabha elections to the ‘M’ factor, an apparent reference to Muslim votes. MVA allies Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) are now competing to take credit for it, he said.

“Every party has two-three contenders for the top post. This shows that the MVA parties have an affinity with power and not for people’s concerns,” Pawaskar said. He also took a dig at the MVA over the absence of Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole at the press conference.

In the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, the MVA won 30 of the 48 seats in Maharashtra. By contrast, the Mahayuti coalition bagged 17 seats, with the BJP’s tally plunging to nine from 23 in 2019. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena won seven seats, while the NCP headed by Ajit Pawar got only one seat.

With Congress and NCP (SP) together winning 22 seats, they will deceive Sena (UBT), which got nine seats, claimed Pawaskar.

He said it is clear that Sena (UBT) candidates won with the help of Muslim votes while Marathi people have ignored the party. This "fact" should be accepted by Sena (UBT), he said.

Upbeat after MVA’s “victory” in the general elections in Maharashtra, Thackeray said on Saturday it was only a beginning and the opposition alliance would maintain its winning streak in the coming assembly polls in the state.

Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan averred that after the Lok Sabha results, a change of government was imminent in Maharashtra.