Congress vs Shiv Sena (UBT): Rift Deepens Over Crutches Remark in Maharashtra Politics Maharashtra politics has seen a sharp escalation in tensions between the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) over a controversial editorial published in the latter’s newspaper. The dispute centers on a remark criticizing the Congress for allegedly treating regional parties like "Baisakhi" (a Punjabi harvest festival), which the Shiv Sena editorial claimed implied the Congress uses regional groups as tools rather than partners. This remark has sparked outrage among Congress leaders, who accuse the Shiv Sena of undermining the coalition’s unity and making unilateral decisions that harm the Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance. The conflict has intensified after the recent Rajya Sabha elections, where Sharad Pawar’s uncontested victory highlighted existing divisions within the MVA. The Shiv Sena editorial accused the Congress of ignoring the views of regional parties, arguing that such neglect weakens the alliance’s strength. Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant responded sharply, calling the editorial an attack on the coalition’s principles. He criticized the Shiv Sena’s editorial board and senior leader Sanjay Raut for failing to distinguish between their roles as journalists and politicians. Sawant emphasized that the MVA requires mutual consultation and compromise, warning that unilateral decisions have already caused setbacks in key constituencies like Mumbai and Chandrapur. Shiv Sena, in turn, defended its stance, asserting that forming strong alliances with regional parties is essential for the Congress to gain power at the center. The party argued that including regional groups is not a weakness but a sign of political maturity.#maharashtra #congress #shiv_sena_ubit #sanjay_raut #mahavikas_aghadi
