Self-Reliance Pitch, Possible Tie-Up With NCP: Congress Chalks Out Strategy For Local Body Polls

Last Updated:July 01, 2025, 10:38 IST

The party high command has taken a cautious approach and asked state leaders to keep coordination open with other partners in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance

Maharashtra Congress leaders meet in Delhi. (X @INCMaharashtra)

Top Congress leaders from Maharashtra gathered in New Delhi this week to chalk out a fresh plan for the upcoming local body elections in the state.

According to sources, many senior leaders strongly suggested that the party should contest the local civic polls on its own strength wherever possible. They believe this will help the Congress rebuild its organisation at the grassroots level and send out a strong message of self-reliance after the setbacks faced in recent assembly polls.

At the same time, the Congress high command has taken a cautious approach and asked state leaders to keep coordination open with other partners in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. To handle this, a special committee has been formed under state unit president Harshvardhan Sapkal. This panel will hold discussions with the alliance partners—including Sharad Pawar’s NCP—to explore the best possible seat-sharing or tie-up options. Senior leaders like Prithviraj Chavan, Vijay Wadettiwar, Balasaheb Thorat, and Manikrao Thakare have been included in this team to ensure that any decision taken is in the best interest of the party.

The high command has left it to local leaders to decide what is best for their regions. In key urban pockets like Mumbai, local Congress leaders will have a bigger say in finalising the party’s approach for the all-important municipal elections. Interestingly, if new political equations emerge in Mumbai—especially if Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray’s MNS come together—the Congress could even look at aligning with the NCP to protect its own space and vote base.

The meeting was attended by Maharashtra Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala, state chief Harshvardhan Sapkal, Balasaheb Thorat, Vijay Wadettiwar, Mumbai Congress head Varsha Gaikwad, Aslam Shaikh, Amin Patel, Satej Patil, Naseem Khan and several other senior faces. Apart from election strategy, the leaders stressed the urgent need to strengthen the party machinery to avoid past mistakes and gear up for a better show in the coming months.

While the final shape of alliances remains open, the Congress has made it clear it wants to fight on its feet and regain lost ground at the local level.

News elections Self-Reliance Pitch, Possible Tie-Up With NCP: Congress Chalks Out Strategy For Local Body Polls