Maharashtra Election 2024: The Samajwadi Party (SP) has requested 12 seats from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra for the upcoming assembly elections, scheduled for November 20. This demand was announced by party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday during a press interaction in Dhule district, north Maharashtra.
Yadav mentioned that the party has already declared candidates for a few constituencies, focusing on seats where it has sitting MLAs or feels confident about its prospects. “Our party is one that is satisfied with a few seats,” he said, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Founded by Mulayam Singh Yadav, the SP is a part of the opposition's INDIA bloc at the national level. In Maharashtra, the MVA alliance includes Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP), which are also members of the INDIA bloc.
Addressing a rally in Dhule, Akhilesh Yadav emphasised the significance of the Maharashtra assembly elections, stating that the results would influence not only the state but the entire country. “Maharashtra polls is the election that will change the politics of the country. This is a historic election. After the poll results, the BJP government will go, and when the government in Maharashtra goes, the (Union) government in Delhi will also collapse,” Yadav asserted.
He also announced Irshad Jahagirdar as the SP candidate for Dhule city, making him the party's fifth nominee for the Maharashtra assembly elections. Canvassing for Jahagirdar, Yadav urged his supporters to elect an educated MLA to the state assembly.
During his address, Yadav accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to split parties in Maharashtra and of "stealing power." He claimed, “The (Central) government in Delhi will not last long.”
Yadav further alleged that the Mahayuti government had caused significant distress among the people, remarking, “The Mahayuti government has made people maha dukhi.” He accused the ruling party of moving Maharashtra's industries to Gujarat, contributing to the state's economic challenges. Yadav appealed to his supporters to ensure the defeat of the BJP and its allies in Maharashtra to facilitate a change in the government in Uttar Pradesh as well.
Meanwhile, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has hinted at its willingness to engage in discussions with the MVA. AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, speaking to PTI, said, "In Maharashtra, our state president has written a letter (to MVA members), and he is open to talks, but we don't know what the alliance partners of that coalition will decide. But we as a political party will have to contest elections, and we will see what happens."
VIDEO | Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024: "In Maharashtra, our state president has written a letter (to MVA members), and he is open to talks, but we don't know what the alliance partners of that coalition will decide. But we as a political party will have to contest… pic.twitter.com/Qfy7BXPDKA
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 19, 2024
Owaisi also commented on the broader political scenario, referring to the recent Haryana elections. “Every Assembly election is important, every byelection has its own importance. Yes, everyone was expecting that the BJP will lose Haryana, but that didn’t happen. Now it is for the main party - Congress - to do its introspection and to find an answer why they couldn't win," he remarked.
The opposition MVA is yet to finalise its seat-sharing arrangement for the Maharashtra assembly elections, adding further intrigue to the state's political landscape as the polls approach.
