Maharashtra Assembly Election: The Opposition’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which is facing a rebellion on several seats, has as issued a one-hour ultimatum to rebel candidates to withdraw their nominations for the Maharashtra Assembly election, saying it was not in favour of “friendly fights”. 

Addressing a joint press conference in Mumbai,  Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the rebel candidates have been given till 3 pm to withdraw their nomination and if they fail to do so, appropriate actions will be taken against them.

“Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar contacted several rebel candidates and told them to withdraw their nomination. Several rebel candidates have withdrawn their nomination. They have time till 3 pm. Action will be taken against the rebel candidates who have not withdrawn their nomination,” Raut said. 

Monday, November 4 is the last day to withdraw nominations, as per the Election Commission. MVA is reportedly facing a rebellion in three seats in Pune, including Shivajinagar, Parvati and Kasba Peth. While Congress is contesting on two of these seats (Shivajinagar and Kasba Peth), the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) has one seat (Parvati) in its kitty.

However, in a display of visible discontent within Congress, three of its leaders– incumbent vice-president of the party Aba Bagul, Kamal Vyavhare, and Manish Anand – decided to contest as independent candidates in the upcoming assembly elections. While former mayor Kamal Vyavahare has filed her nomination from Kasba Peth, Bagul is contesting from Parvati and Manish Anand from the Shivajinagar Assembly seat.

Notably, Congress originally assigned the Kasba Peth seat to Ravindra Dhangekar while the Shivajinagar seat went to Datta Bahirat, The Parvati seat, meanwhile, was given to NCP’s Ashwini Kadam.

With the MVA set to unveil its election manifesto on November 6, the top brass of all alliance partners wants to put up a united face.