Maharashtra politics: Samajwadi Party announced to quit MVA over Shiv Sena (UBT) Babri Masjid remarks

Mumbai, December 7, 2024:

Maharashtra’s politics saw a dramatic turn on Saturday as Samajwadi Party announced to quit MVA alliance. The reason was a highly controversial social media post by an aide of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray praising the Babri Masjid demolition at Ayodhya.

The fallout comes in the wake of the dismal performance by the MVA in the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024. The Samajwadi Party’s Maharashtra unit chief, Abu Azmi, alleged that Shiv Sena (UBT) has adopted a “Hindutva” agenda that is anathema to the coalition’s secular ethos.

An advertisement was published in a newspaper by the Shiv Sena (UBT) congratulating those involved in the Babri Masjid demolition. Moreover, a social media post by Uddhav Thackeray’s aide glorified the act. We cannot stay in an alliance that supports such a divisive narrative. I have already spoken to our national president, Akhilesh Yadav, about quitting the MVA,” Azmi said during a press conference, quoting PTI.

Change in Alliances Post-Election

The MVA consisted of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress, formed to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state. But after the election, when the alliance has suffered an election defeat at the hands of the BJP and its allies in some crucial constituencies, cracks have started surfacing.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) had strayed from the alliance’s secular agenda, he added. “This is no longer the MVA we joined. The Shiv Sena (UBT) is blatantly promoting Hindutva, which goes against the principles of the Samajwadi Party,” he added.

Implications for Maharashtra Politics

The exit from the Samajwadi Party is likely to weaken the effort of MVA to collectively present a united front against the Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra. Political analysts believe the fallout signals deeper ideological rifts that may further destabilize the opposition in the state.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders have not issued a statement yet on the accusations. However, sources within the party argue that the claims are an attempt by the Samajwadi Party to shift focus from its below-par performance in the polls.

With the political dynamics in Maharashtra rapidly changing, the next few months will determine whether MVA can withstand the internal turmoil and regroup to challenge the BJP-led government.

This is a developing story. Updates to follow.