Mumbai: The special session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly began in Mumbai today. In this session, the MLAs of the opposition Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) did not take oath.
However, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Abu Azmi, who was elected from Mankhurd-Shivajinagar constituency in suburban Mumbai, took the oath and decided to leave the Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA). Azmi defeated Nationalist Congress Party heavyweight Nawab Malik. Another MLA of the Samajwadi Party, headed by former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, also left the MVA.
The oath-taking ceremony of as many as 170 MLAs was held in this session. Azmi launched a scathing attack on the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). He said, "We are tired of Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena's fanatical politics and have decided to leave the Mahavikas Aghadi."
Abu Azmi's decision to leave the Mahavikas Aghadi is considered to be a big blow to the Opposition, which recorded its worst performance in the Maharashtra Assembly polls. The BJP-led Mahayuti retained power in the key state and Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as the Maharashtra Chief Minister at a grand ceremony at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai.
Azmi further said, "No kind of coordination was seen in the MVA in this (Maharashtra Assembly) election. Unity is necessary while facing any election as an alliance. If the leader of any party is contesting an election, he should be considered as our leader and candidate. But there was no coordination."
"The leaders of the Mahavikas Aghadi did not appear on the platform of each other's candidates to campaign. This picture was seen very rarely. There was a tug-of-war during the distribution of seats. Due to this, the Mahavikas Aghadi was defeated," Azmi claimed.
The MVA now comprises Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharachandra Pawar) and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray).
The MVA had raised doubts about the results of the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Sources said that due to this, the newly elected MLAs of the Mahavikas Aghadi did not take the oath as MLA. Sources also said that the strength of the Mahavikas Aghadi has been reduced by two after Abu Azmi and MLA of Bhiwandi East constituency Rais Sheikh left the MVA.
