The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is a state-level political coalition formed after the 2019 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction), Sharad Pawar of the NCP and Sonia Gandhi of the INC, along with the support from the Samajwadi Party, PWPI, CPI(M) and several other political parties including Independent MLAs. MVA is currently the largest alliance in Maharashtra Legislative Council, and also the official opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
The alliance was formed by non-NDA political parties in Maharashtra as a result of 2019 Maharashtra political crisis where the Shiv Sena left the NDA post-polls over differences with the BJP in their preferred candidates for Chief Minister and other important portfolio positions after the 2019 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election. Sharad Pawar, Sanjay Raut, Ahmed Patel and other leaders across the NCP, INC and Shiv Sena worked to realise a new alliance after Shiv Sena and BJP parted ways and Shiv Sena's lone Union Minister in Modi's cabinet, Arvind Sawant, tendered his resignation.
The MVA won the 2019 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election with a combined strength of 169 seats, defeating the BJP-led NDA which won 105 seats. Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on 28 November 2019, with Ajit Pawar as his deputy.
The MVA has been in power in Maharashtra since 2019. The alliance has faced some challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent political crisis that led to the resignation of Eknath Shinde as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. However, the MVA has also made some progress, such as passing a law to provide reservation for women in local bodies.
The future of the MVA is uncertain. The alliance is facing increasing pressure from the BJP, which is trying to destabilize the government. However, the MVA has shown resilience in the past, and it is possible that the alliance will be able to survive the current challenges.
Here are some of the key features of the Maha Vikas Aghadi:
- It is a three-party alliance, consisting of the Shiv Sena, the Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
- The Shiv Sena is the largest party in the alliance, with 56 seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
- The Congress is the second-largest party in the alliance, with 44 seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
- The NCP is the third-largest party in the alliance, with 54 seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
- The alliance is led by Uddhav Thackeray, who is the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
- The alliance is supported by several other political parties, including the Samajwadi Party, the PWPI, and the CPI(M).
The Maha Vikas Aghadi is a significant political development in Maharashtra. The alliance has the potential to bring about positive change in the state, but it will face some challenges in the years to come.
