Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday said upcoming elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Council have clearly shown confusion in the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and asserted it was not his party's responsibility to make "sacrifices" every time.
Talking to reporters here, Raut said his party has decided to support independent candidate Shubhangi Patil from the Nashik division graduates constituency after she sought backing from former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.
The term of five members of the Legislative Council — two from graduates’ and three from teachers’ constituencies -- is expiring on February 7. Voting to elect new members of the Upper House will take place on January 30 and counting will be taken up on February 2.
“Through these polls, we clearly saw confusion in the Maha Vikas Aghadi about candidates and other decisions. We have to tread very carefully in the future and such confusion should not take place. This is the lesson the MVA constituents have to take,” he said.
The Rajya Sabha MP said the Shiv Sena (UBT) member Gangadhar Nakade (Nagpur teachers seat) withdrew his candidate after instructions from the party because there is a feeling that if any decision has to be taken with regards to the MVA then everyone has to fight together.
It has been decided to support Congress-backed candidate Sudhakar Adbale (in Nagpur seat) after talks between Thackeray, state Congress president Nana Patole and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, he said.
"Nagpur (teachers’ seat) was left for the Shiv Sena (UBT), but then the responsibility to sacrifice is on the Shiv Sena (UBT) and we have been doing it giving importance to great words like 'unity of the Opposition'. But, henceforth, this will not happen. We will decide on our stand,” Raut said.
“The confusion in the Congress over the Nashik graduates constituency still continues. We don't want to get into it,” he added.
The Congress on Sunday suspended three-time MLC Sudhir Tambe who didn't file nomination for the Legislative Council polls despite the party's mandate and instead got his son Satyajit Tambe to enter the fray as an independent in the Nashik division graduates constituency.
The MVA comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress and the NCP. The MVA was formed in November 2019 after Thackeray snapped ties with long-time ally Bharatiya Janata Party over difference on power sharing and joined hands with the Congress and the NCP.
