For a third time in less than a month, long-time allies Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi have found themselves at odds, raising questions over the stability of the alliance.
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Harshvardhan Sapkal on Friday termed NCP (SP) Lok Sabha MP and working president Supriya Sule’s claim that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is carrying forward the legacy of rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar as “misleading and infuriating”, and demanded that she withdraw her statement.

Criticising Sule’s remarks, Sapkal said Dabholkar dedicated his entire life to eradicating superstition and enlightening society, ultimately becoming a martyr for the cause. “Dabholkar’s legacy is rooted in the ideologies of Shivaji, Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar, a path of rationalism, truth, non-violence and social reform. Fadnavis, on the other hand, represents an opposing ideological tradition,” Sapkal said, adding that Sule must clarify her stance.

Two days ago, Sule, while commenting on the ongoing investigation into self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, had praised Fadnavis, saying the chief minister had acted keeping politics aside. “Dr Dabholkar spent his entire career fighting superstition. It is a matter of pride for us that Maharashtra’s Chief Minister is taking forward that legacy,” she had said.

The friction comes close on the heels of other disagreements between the two allies. Three weeks ago, the Maharashtra Congress had to retreat from contesting a seventh Rajya Sabha seat after Sule persuaded the party’s central leadership to back NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar. The state unit had conveyed that it was willing to contest the seat and was, for the first time, united on the issue, but Sule’s intervention altered the plan.

Last week, Congress leaders clarified that despite Sule’s unilateral announcement of not contesting the upcoming Baramati bypoll, no such decision had been taken within the MVA. Both Sapkal and Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said that while the party shared the grief of Ajit Pawar’s family, electoral decisions must be taken collectively. “No discussion was held within the MVA regarding making this poll unopposed. If NCP (SP) does not want to contest, Congress is ready to field or support a suitable candidate,” Sapkal said.

Amid the ongoing tensions, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar recently met Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi regarding the death of his uncle and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.

Sources within the Congress indicated that the party is no longer willing to play a conciliatory role at the cost of its political interests. “If we do not stand for what is good for our politics, we will lose relevance rapidly. We do not want disagreements within the MVA, but we cannot allow ourselves to be taken for granted,” a Congress leader said.