Mumbai: The absence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and senior leaders from his faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Mumbai has stirred tensions within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
NCP Senior Leaders, Candidates Skip Modi's Rally
The rally held at Chhatrapati Shivaji Park in Dadar, aimed to project the strength and unity of the coalition, bringing together leaders from Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde faction and the Republican Party of India (RPI) led by Ramdas Athawale. However, the lack of attendance from prominent NCP (Ajit Pawar) candidates Sana Malik, Nawab Malik and Zeeshan Siddique was conspicuous, especially as other alliance representatives appeared alongside Modi on stage.
This absence has raised eyebrows, with reports suggesting that Ajit Pawar's NCP faction feels increasingly uneasy with the BJP’s campaign slogan, 'batenge toh katenge' (divided we fall), which some view as a pressure tactic to enforce cohesion.
PM Modi Thanks Mumbaikars
On the other hand, PM Modi expressed gratitude toward Mumbai's people on social media, stressing his commitment to development and good governance under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Modi’s comments aimed to emphasize the coalition's vision of improving 'Ease of Living' for citizens.
Gratitude to the people of Mumbai for the affection.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 14, 2024
NDA’s focus remains development and good governance. We will continue working to improve ‘Ease of Living.’
Here are some glimpses from today’s rally… pic.twitter.com/8bf3eGnauF
Milind Deora Dismisses Speculations Of Rift
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora had earlier addressed the speculations, affirming that the Mahayuti coalition, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar's NCP, is united and contesting elections with full strength. He accused Congress of spreading a fake narrative on threat to the Constitution and also stated that it has failed, as reported by PTI.
Deora dismissed notions of any internal discord, contrasting the Mahayuti’s cohesion with what he described as fragmentation within the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), consisting of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) and Congress.
The stakes are high as Maharashtra heads into its November 20 assembly elections, with both the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition MVA locked in a fierce battle for control of the state. The counting of votes is scheduled to take place on November 23.