Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan stated that his party will take the lead in the Opposition in Maharashtra after the recent split in the NCP. He also announced that the Congress will participate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition, reported news agency PTI. The Leader of Opposition's post fell vacant after NCP leader Ajit Pawar rebelled against Sharad Pawar and joined Eknath Shinde's government as the Deputy Chief Minister.
Chavan expressed confidence that the Congress would not experience a split like those in its MVA allies — the Shiv Sena and the NCP. He drew parallels with the Opposition alliance formed under J P Narayan in 1977 to defeat Indira Gandhi, stating that a similar alliance was being shaped at the national level.
Chavan emphasized the importance of setting aside the issue of the prime ministerial face and focusing on defeating the BJP, preserving democracy, and upholding the Constitution. He expressed the desire for the opposition to field a joint candidate against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, aiming for a one-on-one fight nationwide.
Chavan acknowledged the splits in the Shiv Sena and the NCP, noting that the Congress had emerged as the largest constituent of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. He asserted that the Congress would naturally take the lead and become the principal opposition party in Maharashtra.
Chavan's remarks followed the recent split in the NCP, where Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar's nephew, joined the government led by Eknath Shinde of the Shiv Sena. Chavan confirmed that the Congress would lead the opposition unity in Maharashtra and stated that the MVA alliance would continue until 2024 to combat communal forces and prevent the "march towards dictatorship".
He called on smaller parties to join the alliance and mentioned the ongoing discussions on seat sharing. Chavan acknowledged the reduction in the Congress's strength due to the splits in the Shiv Sena and the NCP but questioned the legitimacy of Ajit Pawar's majority. He claimed that many people were dissatisfied with the recent developments and returning to Sharad Pawar.
Chavan dismissed the idea of bargaining power and emphasized the need to field the best candidates to challenge the BJP. He urged the opposition to unite to prevent a division of votes in the 2024 general elections, highlighting that in 2019, 65% of voters opposed the BJP but were divided among 38 parties, which ultimately benefited Prime Minister Narendra Modi.