Shiv Sena (UBT) Opts for Solo Run in Maharashtra Local and Civic Polls

We will fight from Nagpur to Mumbai on our own. Let's see ourselves whatever happens; it happens, it is our choice.

Shiv Sena (UBT) has declared in a unilateral manner that the party will contest alone in the forthcoming nagar panchayat, nagar parishad, zilla parishad and municipal corporation elections. Party MP Sanjay Raut announced this here on Saturday.

We will fight from Nagpur to Mumbai on our own. Let's see ourselves whatever happens; it happens, it is our choice. When do the workers have a chance at Mumbai, Thane and Nagpur? Not letting the workers win will hurt party growth," said Raut.

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He further added, "all parties must fight the elections at the grassroots level on their own and then allow their workforce to win too".

In the alliance, the workers do not get a chance to fight the Lok Sabha and the Assembly elections. This is affecting the party, in fact, the growth of the party. We should fight in the municipal corporation, district council and Nagar Panchayat on our own and strengthen our party," said Raut indicating that the party is ready for revival and stay relevant despite drubbing in the state assembly elections.

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He said the party chief Uddhav Thackeray has agreed to contest ensuing local and civic body elections independently. Thackeray had recently met the party cadres from across the state and during those meetings the workers had made a strong case for going solo.

Raut's announcement is being seen in the Maharashtra political circle as a beginning of the disbanding of the Maha Vikas Aghadi which contested together the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections.

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Raut on Friday had dared the Congress to announce that the INDIA bloc does not exist any more, especially after its move to take on Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi assembly elections.

For Shiv Sena, retaining its supremacy over India's richest civic body, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation with a budget of nearly Rs 40,000 crore is important for it to be in reckoning. In addition, the party sees an opportunity for rejuvenation and revival going solo in the elections to other civic and local bodies.

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Raut’s statement comes a day after former chief minister Eknath Shinde hinted that the Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP will together fight the upcoming local and civic body elections in a bid to retain the MahaYuti’s victory march and its dominance.

Reacting to the announcement made by Raut, NCP-SP legislature party leader and former Minister Jitendra Awhad said, "If the Thackeray group has made a decision, who are we to stop it? Raut should have discussed and later taken the decision."

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This move by Shiv Sena UBT is imperative since the party could not accept the arrogance shown by the Congress party and the successive steps adopted to weaken regional parties. Raut and state Congress chief Nana Patole differed on seat sharing which delayed Maha Vikas Aghadi in sealing a seat sharing arrangement and deciding its election strategy that was to face the MahaYuti.

NCP-SP MP Dr Amol Kolhe targeted the Congress and Shiv Sena UBT with their style of functioning on Thursday. "The broken back of the Congress party is not ready to straighten out yet, while the Thackeray group is not ready to wake up from its slumber.". Shiv Sena and Congress have still not shaken out their stagnation so we need to work from here onwards with this newfound enthusiasm so as to revive and bring victories in all local and civic body elections", he had spoken before the workers.

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On the other hand, veteran Congress legislator Vijay Wadettiwar had commented, "Had the stalemate over the seat sharing resolved in two days, the MVA partners would have got poll planning and campaigning. We could not plan a joint program for the elections with all three parties.

There were many reasons for this. So this is one of the main reasons, the mess in seat allocation and the time spent on it definitely affected the MVA's poll prospects badly.

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