Sanjay Nirupam is also vying for the Mumbai North-West seat.

New Delhi:

Amid seat-sharing talks among the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) parties in Maharashtra, Sanjay Nirupam, a prominent Congress leader, has slammed Uddhav Thackeray for prematurely announcing 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 currently engaged in poll pact talks ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Mr Nirupam without mincing words, referred to Uddhav Thackeray as the “bachi khuchi Shiv Sena ke pramukh” (the remaining Shiv Sena’s chief). The Congress leader expressed his disappointment over the announcement of Amol Kirtikar as the Shiv Sena candidate for the Mumbai North-West constituency, a decision made by Thackeray before the MVA could finalise seat-sharing arrangements.

The Mumbai North-West seat, which Mr Nirupam himself is vying for, remains a bone of contention as no official decision has been reached within the alliance. 

Mr Nirupam, taking to social media, voiced his concerns: “How can this happen? Despite two dozen meetings of MVA, the final decision on seat-sharing has not been taken yet. Is announcing the candidate from Shiv Sena a violation of alliance dharma or a deliberate attempt 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 leader also raised serious allegations against Amol Kirtikar, claiming his involvement in the ‘Khichdi Scam’. Mr Nirupam accused Mr Kirtikar of accepting bribes during the COVID-era program initiated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to provide free food to migrant labourers. According to Mr Nirupam, Mr Kirtikar has taken commissions from the scheme intended to support the impoverished, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is currently investigating the matter.

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

Mr Nirupam questioned whether Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) workers would willingly campaign for a candidate embroiled in a scandal.