BJP moots joint opposition front in Maharashtra

The BJP will explore the possibility of bringing together all opposition parties here on a common platform before next year's Lok Sabha and assembly elections, its new state unit chief said Tuesday.

Devendra Phadnavis mooted the formation of a "Maharashtra Democratic Alliance" on the lines of the National Democratic Alliance at the centre spearheaded by his party.

"If there can be a NDA at the Centre, we should also explore the possibility of a similar grand alliance in the state. We shall make efforts in this direction," Phadnavis asserted, before the BJP state executive meeting at Shanmukhananda Hall, the first major party event after he took over the party reins last month.

The BJP, Shiv Sena and Republican Party of India are already in a mega-alliance conceived by the late Bal Thackeray to achieve his dream of 'Shiv Shakti-Bhim Shakti' in an attempt to dislodge the Democratic Front government of Congress-Nationalist Congress Party ruling the state for the third consecutive time.

Justifying the MDA initiative, Phadnavis said that the Congress-NCP have been getting advantage of the divided votes of the opposition parties -the latter losing in the numbers game despite getting a higher vote share.

The MDA proposal could be sold to other major parties in the opposition benches including Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Samajwadi Party, several smaller parties and independents, and prevent division of the anti-Congress and NCP votes, he said.