Is the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra starting to show signs of cracks? Political events that have transpired over the past few days in the state are creating the buzz that perhaps all is not well in the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance.
Indeed, there have been some intriguing cues to pick up on such as the Congress deciding to contest solo in the next Assembly elections that are due in 2024. Or the fact that the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Congress unit chief Nana Patole exchanged jibes over political ambitions of their parties for the next term.
On 9 June, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also had a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Although Thackeray said it was nothing unusual, the meeting raised a few eyebrows.
What also created a stir, was a letter that got out in the media. The letter was penned by Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik advising CM Thackeray to go back to the BJP to avoid constant harassment from central agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED). Like a few other leaders, Sarnaik himself is currently entangled in a money laundering case that is being probed by the ED.
While senior Shiv Sena leader and spokesperson Sanjay Raut has said that attempts to create a rift in the MVA won't work, how do we look at these events? Is there trouble in paradise or are there attempts to destabilise? For this episode we spoke to senior political journalist Prakash Bal Joshi. Tune in.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)