Archive · 13 Nov 2025
Congress to Ally with Smaller Parties for Maharashtra Local Elections Amidst Ally Exodus
Imagine a big team in Maharashtra called Congress is getting ready for some local elections.
They've decided to team up with smaller, friendly groups, but not with the teams currently in charge of the state.
Even though they are still friends with their main teammates, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), many people are leaving those teams to join the winning teams.
Because of this, the Congress feels it needs to find new, smaller friends to help it win in some areas.
They also had a meeting to pick who will run in the elections and are worried the way people apply to run might be difficult for them.
The election officials, however, say the application process is straightforward and they haven't received any complaints.
Maharashtra Congress will ally with smaller, like-minded parties for local body elections, excluding the ruling Mahayuti.
Congress maintains its alliance with MVA partners Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) but is forming new local alliances due to an 'exodus' of workers to ruling parties.
New allies include VBA, PWP, Shetkari Sanghatana, and RSP in various districts.
Congress raised concerns about the nomination process for local body elections, suggesting it could be manipulated against opposition parties.
The State Election Commission clarified the nomination process, stating it's primarily online with a printed submission and no complaints have been received.
- Who
- Maharashtra Congress
- What
- Decided to ally with smaller parties for upcoming local body elections and raised concerns about leaders exiting allied parties.
- When
- Thursday (meeting and announcement)
- Where
- Maharashtra
- Why
- To strengthen its position in local elections, particularly in districts where allies Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) have seen leaders move to ruling parties, and to address concerns about the nomination process.
Congress Strategy & Concerns
Election Process & State Election Commission
Alliance Approach
Congress Strategy & Concerns
Congress is allying with smaller, like-minded parties for local body elections, excluding the ruling Mahayuti coalition. They maintain their alliance with MVA partners (Sena UBT, NCP SP) but are forming new alliances with parties like VBA, PWP, Shetkari Sanghatana, and RSP in districts where their MVA allies have seen a significant 'exodus' of workers and leaders to ruling parties.
Election Process & State Election Commission
The State Election Commission (SEC) clarifies that nomination forms for municipal councils and panchayats only require information to be filled online and a printed, signed copy with necessary documents submitted to the Returning Officer. They have received no complaints regarding the nomination process.
Leadership Exodus
Congress Strategy & Concerns
A senior Congress legislator expressed concern that the Mahayuti coalition has 'poached almost the entire organisational strength' of Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar's parties, leaving Congress with no option but to ally with smaller parties outside the MVA in some districts.
Election Process & State Election Commission
While Congress leaders express concern about the 'exodus' from their MVA allies, the narrative from the State Election Commission focuses on the procedural aspects of the nomination process, indicating no official complaints regarding candidate rejections due to the online system.
- Party
- Congress
- Event
- Decision to ally with smaller parties for local body elections
- State
- Maharashtra
- Excluded Alliance Partners
- Ruling Mahayuti coalition
- New Allies Mentioned
- Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), Peasants and Workers Party (PWP), Shetkari Sanghatana, Rashtriya Samaj Party (RSP)
- Reason for New Alliances
- Exodus of leaders and workers from Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) to ruling parties
- Nomination Process Concern Raised By
- Congress Legislative Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar
Sources
Fadnavis to lead BJP’s 40-member star campaigner list for Maharashtra local body polls
Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel among NCP’s 40 star campaigners for municipal council and nagar panchayat polls
Shiv Sena names district in-charges for civic body polls
