The Maharashtra Congress leadership, which met in the national capital on Monday, decided to push for the party contesting the forthcoming Mumbai civic body polls on its own.
This leaves the Congress top brass with the difficult decision of potentially dropping its Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (Sharad Pawar).
The party, however, may find a decision being made for it — in January, the Shiv Sena (UBT) had indicated that it would contest the civic elections on its own.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections will be held later this year or in early 2026.
Monday’s meeting was attended by the party’s Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala, Rajya Sabha member and general secretary Mukul Wasnik, former state unit chief Nana Patole and Rajya Sabha member Rajani Patil, among other leaders.
Sources present at the meeting told The Indian Express that the leaders suggested that the party should fight the BMC elections alone.
“While the final decision regarding the alliance will be made by the high command, we decided that it will be better for the party if we go solo,” said a source, adding that a formal announcement will likely come on July 7.
Congress leaders feel the party will lose more ground in Mumbai if it fights the civic polls as part of the MVA. The party won 75 seats in the 2007 BMC polls, 56 in 2012 and 31 in the last elections in 2017.
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“Contesting the BMC elections helps the party build organisation and leadership. We are a national party and can’t afford to lose ground in Mumbai,” said the source quoted above.
At Monday’s meeting, leaders also discussed restructuring the Congress organisation in Maharashtra as well as last year’s Assembly elections.
The MVA, comprising the Congress, the NCP (SP) and the Shiv Sena (UBT), put up a poor show in the elections, winning just 46 seats. The Shiv Sena (UBT) won 20 seats, Congress bagged 16 and the NCP-SP got 10.
