Daijiworld Media Network -Mumbai

Mumbai, Nov 20: In a significant political development ahead of the upcoming local body elections, the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Wednesday declared its exit from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, confirming that it will contest the Mumbai civic polls and other local elections across Maharashtra independently.

SP leader Abu Asim Azmi said the decision followed the Congress party’s move to contest the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on its own, a decision that has triggered fresh tensions within the opposition bloc. Azmi said his party would field candidates in 150 of the 227 BMC wards, asserting that the SP was prepared to go solo statewide.

Taking a strong swipe at the Congress, Azmi said the party “only wants to take, not give,” accusing it of sidelining smaller allies and failing to show leadership. He added that even the Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamna had criticised the Congress for its continued attempts to project itself as a national force despite recent electoral setbacks.

Azmi also raised concerns over civic issues in Mumbai, stating that slum areas continue to suffer from a lack of clean water and basic facilities. He reiterated that the SP would remain committed to representing the poor, farmers and labourers. Calling for transparency in the BMC’s preparatory process, he demanded that ward reservations be announced at least a year in advance to allow candidates adequate time to prepare.

The SP leader further alleged that the BJP-led Maharashtra government was discriminating in fund allocation, claiming that constituencies such as Shivajinagar–Govandi received the least assistance.

He also targeted the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), accusing the party of humiliating North Indians and predicting electoral consequences for any party that chose to ally with it. With signs of possible cooperation between Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray emerging, he noted that the political landscape was shifting quickly following Congress’s solo declaration.

Affirming the party's ideological commitment, Azmi concluded, “The Samajwadi Party is a movement. We stand for the poor, the backward and the voiceless. We will continue our struggle alone.”