Trouble for MVA as ally CPI(M) plans to contest 12 assembly seats in Maharashtra

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is preparing to contest 12 seats in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, raising concerns about the internal cohesion of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance. CPI(M) state secretary Dr. Uday Narkar has voiced frustration over the lack of engagement from larger MVA parties, as crucial seat-sharing discussions remain unresolved.

Dr. Narkar, in an interview, highlighted the party's electoral ambitions and the efforts they have made across key constituencies. "In the 2019 elections, we contested eight seats. We won in Dahanu, were a very close second in Kalwan, and received strong support in other areas. This time, we plan to contest 12 seats, including Dahanu, Kalwan, Solapur City Central, Nashik West, Akole, Kinwat, Pathri, Majalgaon, Dindori, Igatpuri, Vikramgad, and Shahapur," Narkar said in an interview with The Indian Express, adding that his party has been actively organising movements in these regions and is hopeful that their work will resonate with voters.

Despite being part of the MVA, which includes Udhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, Congress, and Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), CPI(M)'s role in the alliance has been limited.

Narkar revealed that the party had hoped to contest at least one seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as part of the MVA but was ultimately sidelined. "We chose not to contest out of our commitment to defeat the BJP, trusting that we would be accommodated in the Assembly elections. However, we are still awaiting clear assurances."

With the Assembly elections approaching, Narkar expressed concern over the MVA's internal coordination, stating that the last meaningful seat-sharing discussion took place two months ago. Since then, the CPI(M) has received no direct communication from its larger allies and has only learned about MVA meetings through the media. "We want to contest as part of the MVA, but the larger parties need to build confidence with their allies. Finalising seat-sharing arrangements is now urgent."

The CPI(M)'s solo move may hurt the opposition, increasing the chances of a split in anti-BJP votes. On Sunday, NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar announced that the MVA will finalise its seat-sharing arrangements within the next 8 to 10 days. India Today last month reported that the opposition had alrwady reached an initial seat-sharing consensus for around 120-130 constituencies. As per the understanding, the majority of the seats won by each party in the 2019 polls will be contested by the same parties.