By Rahil Nora Chopra
The Maharashtra Congress has taken a decision to ally with smaller and like-minded parties for the upcoming local body elections, leaving those from the ruling Mahayuti coalition. This is even though the Congress continues to assert that its alliance with its major Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies – Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) – remains intact. A source in the Congress said the party’s district and block-level office-bearers were authorised to decide on the alliance after consulting partners, and that their decisions would be respected. He said that the leaders possessed and preferably bear the tactical understanding as per the need of the area rather than having state-level broader alliance. The joint meeting of MVA partners where the coordination committee was announced was attended by Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal, NCP (SP) state president Shashikant Shinde and Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab, along with other party leaders. The coordination committee will comprise representatives from each alliance member and handle differences over candidates. However, it is still unclear whether Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) will be part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance. Congress state president Harshwardhan Sapkal stated that there is no formal proposal to include MNS as the new partner in the MVA.
AHEAD OF 2026 STATE POLLS, CONGRESS LEADS ANTI-BJP FRONT IN ASSAM
Ahead of the Assam Assembly elections in 2026, the Assam unit of Congress and seven other political parties have collaborated on the issue as to form an anti-BJP front in the state. The decision was taken during a meeting convened by the Congress, attended by leaders of Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad, Anchalik Gana Morcha, CPM, CPI, CPI(ML), and APHLC. The All India United Democratic Front was notably absent. AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh stated that the opposition forces had united against the injustices of the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government and pledged to form a new people’s government in the state. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, however, downplayed the development.
MANIPUR UNIT OF BJP HOLDS CLOSED-DOOR MEETING IN IMPHAL
BJP National General Secretary B L. Santhosh, along with Northeast Coordinator Sambit Patra held an important meeting with BJP MLAs at the party’s Manipur headquarters in Imphal. The closed-door session was attended by BJP MLAs from both the hills and the valley, including former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, Speaker Th. Satyabrata Singh, and Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba. However, MLAs from the Kuki community were notably absent. Santhosh’s visit, which is the first since the imposition of President’s rule in Manipur on Feb 13 and amid push by BJP MLAs for reinstatement of a popular ministry, signalled renewed efforts by the party to strengthen and reorganise itself, and also to reconnect with the people, and lay the groundwork for a possible government formation.
BSP TO RRENEW DALIT-MUSLIM OUTREACH IN WESTERN UTTAR PRADESH
The BSP is planning to start its Muslim-Dalit outreach in western UP, as lined with a public meeting which is likely to be held in Noida on December 6. While Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) national president and former chief minister of UP, Mayawati, chaired a detailed review meeting of the party’s units in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat on Thursday. The meeting emphasized on assessing the implementation of the directions issued during earlier organisational reviews, particularly regarding strengthening the party structure at the polling booth level and expanding the party’s base across all sections of society. (IPA Service)
