Fight within MahaYuti over CM’s chair shows its hunger for power: Rashid Alvi

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Congress leader Rashid Alvi, on Thursday, said the MahaYuti alliance in Maharashtra has several claimants to the Chief Minister's post which was a clear display of "power-hungry" politics. Rashid Alvi said, “There are so many claimants to the Chief Minister’s position. Sitting CM Eknath Shinde wants to retain the post, Devendra Fadnavis insists he should be the CM, and now Ajit Pawar is also making a bid. This shameless display of power struggle is something we have never witnessed before. The BJP, which often accuses Congress of being power-hungry, should now answer what is happening in Maharashtra.”

After voting ended in Maharashtra on Wednesday, the Axis My India released its exit poll outcome on Thursday, predicting a significant victory for the MahaYuti alliance comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and Ajit Pawar’s NCP. The poll suggests that Mahayuti could win a substantial majority, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance is expected to face a setback. The results of the election will be declared on November 23.

Responding to BJP President J.P. Nadda’s letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge regarding the situation in Manipur, Rashid Alvi dismissed it as an attempt to divert attention from the government's failure. He stated, “Letters like these are laughable. Has Manipur ever witnessed such devastation as it does today? The chaos and tragedy unfolding in Manipur are unprecedented. The government cannot hide its failures behind a letter." "If the central government genuinely wants to restore peace in Manipur, it has the capability to do so. Manipur is a small state. If they cannot manage the situation there, how can they claim to govern the entire country," he added.

Addressing the ongoing survey of a mosque in Sambhal, Rashid Alvi criticised the government for creating unnecessary controversies around religious sites. He said, “The law in this country clearly states that places of worship as they stood in 1947 will remain unchanged. A mosque will remain a mosque, and a temple will remain a temple. Despite this, there is chaos across the country under the Narendra Modi government." "Some talk about Mathura, others about Varanasi, and now Sambhal. I believe the government should seek a clear order from the court on all mosques in the country to put an end to this. Can the nation progress if these issues dominate the agenda? Are there no other pressing concerns beyond temples and mosques? Behind all these disputes and controversies is the BJP, and no one else," he added.