For Congress, local body polls a chance to reclaim space in Mumbai

Chennithala said that despite being in an alliance, each political party has the right to strengthen its organisation and added that the move is aimed at just that.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Congress contested only two seats in Mumbai out of six, and that too after tough negotiation with Shiv Sena (UBT). The Congress previously used to fight for five. Even in the 2024 assembly polls, Congress had to dilute itself by fighting on only 11 of 36 assembly seats while Sena (UBT) fought on 22. Of the remaining three, two went to NCP (SP) and one to Samajwadi Party (SP). The assembly seat negotiations were also too stretched thin and there were heated talks between the two allies.

“With Raj Thackeray led MNS set to join hands with Uddhav, we would have suffered once again in seat negotiations. In addition, it would have been difficult for us with our voter base of north Indian, Muslim and Gujarati voters to seek votes in alliance. Our lower rank was clear that the party should face this election independently. We think it is the right decision for the party,” said a Mumbai Congress leader.

According to a senior Maharashtra Congress leader, the compromise on organisational and ideological space must stop. “Opposition to Modi was the basis of our alliance. Prior to Modi, the alliance with undivided NCP was on the basis to keep undivided Shiv Sena and the BJP out of power and Congress limited itself from nurturing its organisation in seats held by the NCP. That did take a toll on our own space,” the leader said. He gave the example of Konkan and north Maharashtra where Congress has virtually lost its organisational presence. The party has negligible presence in the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) which has seen rapid urbanisation in recent years. It also means that the party has no leadership in around 50-60 assembly seats in the 288-member state assembly, denting its chances of returning to power.

“Lower rank leaders have been telling us that the existence of the party organisation is jeopardised due to alliance at too many places. We have an option of accepting it as it is or to rethink our strategy. These local body polls have given us the opportunity to test the waters,” the leader added.

According to the party’s analysis, despite the split within the two allies, there was no negotiation on LS and assembly seats. Uddhav Thackeray as well as Sharad Pawar led parties contested seats as per previous seat sharing formula, shrinking Congress’ space further. Party insiders also believe that except for 2014 – when all parties in Maharashtra fought assembly polls separately – the party has not contested any election on its own since 1999. It was in 1999, when Sharad Pawar led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), after splitting from the Congress, fought LS as well as assembly polls separately. It also means that the party has no electoral data in these areas to analyse its strategy for the future.

Last week, when the top leaders of state Congress held a meeting to discuss the local poll strategy, it was decided to take on board smaller parties in the state. “MVA stands intact, but there are districts where the BJP has entirely eliminated other two parties by poaching all their leaders. What should we do in such cases? We have decided to find new alliance partners for these elections. This is in addition with our two other major allies,” another state Congress leader said.