New Delhi:

Amid seat-sharing talks among the many Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) events in Maharashtra, Sanjay Nirupam, a outstanding Congress chief, has slammed Uddhav Thackeray for prematurely asserting the candidate for Mumbai’s North-West Lok Sabha constituency. The MVA, a coalition of Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress, is at the moment engaged in ballot pact talks forward of the Lok Sabha elections.

Mr Nirupam with out mincing phrases, referred to Uddhav Thackeray because the “bachi khuchi Shiv Sena pramukh” (the remaining Shiv Sena chief). The Congress chief expressed his disappointment over the announcement of Amol Kirtikar because the Shiv Sena candidate for the Mumbai North-West constituency, a choice made by Thackeray earlier than the MVA may finalise seat-sharing preparations.

The Mumbai North-West seat, which Mr Nirupam himself is vying for, stays a bone of competition as no official determination has been reached inside the alliance. 

Mr Nirupam, taking to social media, voiced his considerations: “How can this occur? Regardless of two dozen conferences of MVA, the ultimate determination on seat-sharing has not been taken but. Is asserting the candidate from Shiv Sena a violation of alliance dharma or a deliberate try to humiliate Congress?”

कल शाम बची-खुची शिवसेना के प्रमुख ने अँधेरी में उत्तर पश्चिम लोकसभा क्षेत्र से #MVA का उम्मीदवार घोषित कर दिया।रात से ही फ़ोन आ रहे हैं।ऐसा कैसे हो सकता है?#MVA की दो दर्जन मीटिंग होने के बावजूद अभी तक सीट शेयरिंग पर अंतिम निर्णय नहीं हुआ है।
जो 8-9 सीटें पेंडिंग हैं,उनमें यह…

— Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) March 10, 2024

The Congress chief additionally raised severe allegations in opposition to Amol Kirtikar, claiming his involvement within the ‘Khichdi Rip-off’. Mr Nirupam accused Mr Kirtikar of accepting bribes throughout the COVID-era program initiated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Company (BMC) to offer free meals to migrant labourers. In response to Mr Nirupam, Mr Kirtikar has taken commissions from the scheme meant to assist the impoverished, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is at the moment investigating the matter.

Mr Kirtikar’s father, Gajanan Kirtikar, is the sitting MP from the identical constituency and is affiliated with the rival Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. 

Mr Nirupam questioned whether or not Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) employees would willingly marketing campaign for a candidate embroiled in a scandal.