Congress neta retorts to Shiv Sena's remark on UPA: 'No need to comment on Sonia Gandhi'

Retaliating to Shiv Sena's suggestions on Congress interim-chief Sonia Gandhi, Mumbai Congress leader Naseem Khan on Saturday, said that 'There is no necessity for Shiv Sena's spokesperson to comment on UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi'. This comment was in response to Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut's suggestion that 'it was time to expand the UPA's scope by inducting more allies'. Shiv Sena allied with the Congress in 2019, after it broke away from its 35-year alliance with the BJP over Maharashtra CM seat and cabinet posts.

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Raut: 'Opposition should unite against BJP'

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Raut called for expanding the scope of the Congress-led UPA bloc, saying the Opposition should unite against the "dictatorial attitude" of the Centre and provide a "formidable alternative" to the Narendra Modi government. He also said Sonia Gandhi effectively led the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) all these years and now the time has come to expand its scope by inducting more allies. He added, "A weak opposition is bad for democracy".

 "What is important is the support of people. Apart from Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar has support from a cross-section of people," he said, when asked if Sharad Pawar can replace Sonia Gandhi. Recently, reported that NCP supremo Sharad Pawar will replace Sonia Gandhi as UPA (United Progressive Alliance) chairperson soon - stating that  initial talks have already happened in this regard, but NCP has refuted such reports. Incidentally, Pawar along with Tariq Anwar and PA Sangma was expelled from the Congress in 1999 after he took issue with Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin.

Newly-elected Mumbai Congress chief Ashok alias Bhai Jagtap has suggested that the party contest all the 227 seats in the crucial 2022 elections to the Mumbai civic body."Seat-sharing is a difficult task. Therefore, we as a party should think about the people who carried the party flag on their shoulders and fight all the 227 seats in the upcoming elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)," Jagtap told reporters in Jejuri in Pune district. Meanwhile, Sena has stated that the allies will contest BMC polls together.

Congress mulls contesting solo in BMC polls 2022, says 'no need for coalition with Sena'

Sena & Congress-NCP

Sena has often clashed with its ideological polar opposite Congress since the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance over issues like Hindutva, CAA, NRC, Ram Janmabhoomi, Savarkar, COVID-19 etc, with NCP playing the peacemaker. Several ministers from NCP and Congress have accused Uddhav Thackeray of depending more on bureaucrats than his alliance partners, alleging that they were being 'sidelined'. Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat, minister Ashok Chavan have openly stated that the party has had no say in any of the decisions being taken by the Thackeray-government. All three allies have maintained that the alliance is safe, but BJP has often asserted that the MVA govt will fall on its own.

Shiv Sena backs Pawar for UPA chairperson, says 'Congress is weak, must strengthen UPA'

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