2 minutes of readingBombayUpdated: Jan 18, 2026 06:15 pm IST
The Congress’s Maharashtra unit on Sunday said its alliance with Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena UBT remains intact across the state and it will not be part of any alliance involving the ruling Mahayuti parties.
Maharashtra Congress chief Harshavardhan Sapkal said, “We have maintained our stance since the municipal council polls. It remained the same in the case of municipal corporation elections too. And it will not change in the upcoming Zilla Parisad polls too. We are ready to ally with any Maha Vikas Aghadi party, as per the suggestion of our local units. However, we will not ally with the BJP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP.”
Speaking after reviewing the party’s preparations for the upcoming Zilla Parisad elections in 12 districts, Sapkal also said the Congress would stay away from any alliance that included the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, irrespective of who else joined it. His statement comes amid reports suggesting a possible alliance between the Ajit Pawar-led NCP (SP) and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) for the rural local body polls.
“The alliance can only be with those from the MVA or like-minded parties,” Sapkal said, adding that local units would take the final decision on zilla parishad alliances, as was done in the case of urban local body polls.
Responding to questions on the future of the Congress-Shiv Sena UBT alliance after the two parties fought separately in the Bombay civic polls, Sapkal said they were working together elsewhere. “We are coming together in Parbhani Municipal Corporation to win the mayor’s post. We are with Uddhav Thackeray everywhere else. There seems to be no reason to break it,” he said.
Earlier, Sapkal accused the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh of destroying Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi. “It was built by the daughter of Maharashtra and our pride, Ahilyadevi Holkar. The BJP government in the state and at the Center must answer for the destruction it has caused to this sacred place,” he said, warning of agitation over the issue.