In a sharp political volley ahead of crucial municipal elections, the Congress party has unleashed a blistering attack on the joint manifesto released by rival factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Labeling the upcoming battles in the Mahayuti alliance’s municipal corporation polls as a ‘fixed match,’ Congress leaders accused the factions of colluding to undermine genuine democratic competition.
The controversy erupted when the two NCP splinter groups, led by Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar respectively, unveiled a unified election manifesto despite their bitter split last year. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate minced no words, declaring, ‘This is nothing but a scripted drama designed to fool voters. The so-called Mahayuti coalition is rigging the game even before the first vote is cast.’
Mahayuti, the ruling alliance in Maharashtra comprising BJP, Ajit Pawar’s NCP, and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, faces opposition from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Shiv Sena (UBT). The municipal polls across cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur are seen as a litmus test for the alliances’ strength ahead of state assembly elections.
Critics within Congress point to the manifesto’s vague promises on urban infrastructure, waste management, and affordable housing as mere window dressing. ‘They’ve merged their manifestos to project unity, but everyone knows it’s a facade to protect their power-sharing deal,’ said a senior Congress leader. The party has vowed to expose these ‘tactics’ through aggressive campaigning.
Meanwhile, NCP leaders dismissed the charges as sour grapes. Ajit Pawar’s faction emphasized that the joint document reflects shared priorities for Maharashtra’s cities, transcending internal differences. As election fervor builds, this clash underscores deepening rifts in Maharashtra’s fractured political landscape, with voters poised to deliver their verdict on the alliances’ credibility.