Ahead of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)’s crucial meeting on Tuesday, which is likely to finalise the seat-sharing deal between the allies, BJP leader Nalin Kohli on Tuesday castigated the Opposition alliance, calling it an opportunistic political understanding merely aimed at opposing the saffron party to fight for power and seats.

Kohli said, “As far as the Congress and its so-called alliance partners are concerned, one has noticed a consistent trend not just in Maharashtra and Jharkhand presently, but in the earlier Lok Sabha elections as well. This is not an alliance born organically with any commonality of agenda. It’s an opportunistic political understanding that we will now oppose the BJP and fight for power and seats.”

He said, “This is completely different from the BJP-NDA model, where there is an agenda of serving the people, a positive approach to governance, and no war of words.”

Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole said that the MVA seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming assembly elections in the state would be finalised within a day or two, adding that the situation in the rival Mahayuti alliance is more chaotic than in the MVA.

Commenting on the seat-sharing tussles within the INDIA alliance in Jharkhand and the MVA in Maharashtra, BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that the Congress lacks the DNA or mindset to move forward together with its allies.

“Be it Jharkhand or Maharashtra, there is more of ‘siyasi khurpench’ than ‘seat ka pench’. Whether it’s the Aghadi or any alliance, their ‘khaandani khiladi’ have the same aspiration — to come into power. Any alliance led by the Congress today will face both ‘pench’ as well as ‘khurpench’ because the Congress lacks the DNA or mindset to move forward with all allies.”

He further remarked that the Congress believes small parties and regional parties have no importance, adding, “They should learn from the BJP and Narendra Modi…”

On posters featuring Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s statement, ‘Batenge toh Katenge’, Naqvi said, “When India attained Independence, partition occurred. After that, people witnessed the horrors of partition. This statement (‘Batenge toh Katenge’) reflects the basic understanding and conclusion that such a division should never be repeated.”

A BJP member, Vishwabnadhu Rai, has put up posters in various parts of Mumbai featuring pictures of UP CM Yogi Adityanath along with the slogan “Batenge toh Katenge.”

The MVA allies are scheduled to meet on Tuesday to finalise the seat-sharing deal for the Maharashtra assembly elections after multiple days of bargaining between the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT). Those expected to be present at the meeting are Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Ramesh Chennithala, and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) supremo Sharad Pawar.

Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat expressed confidence that the issue would be solved, noting that the alliance has sufficient time.

Maharashtra Congress president Patole said, “Seat-sharing takes time because we need to consider our party workers. Our issue will be resolved within a day or two. Balasaheb Thorat met with Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray, and I will now meet Thorat. After that, the MVA seat-sharing meeting will take place.”

He added that the problem lies in 25-30 seats, but it will be resolved soon.