"Mahayuti sets its strategy banking on MVA votes to tilt the Vice-President election in its favour"

by Webdesk
25 Aug 2025

Mahayuti Eyes Opposition Votes Amid VP Election Tussle

With the Vice-President election approaching, political maneuvering in Maharashtra has gained momentum. Following NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar’s categorical refusal to back the NDA nominee C. P. Radhakrishnan and Shiv Sena (UBT) indicating its intent to side with the INDIA bloc, the ruling Mahayuti leaders are now exploring options to attract support from within the opposition’s Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ranks.

Members of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will cast their votes in this election. On Friday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis held a closed-door discussion with deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. According to insiders, the trio deliberated over the possibility of persuading a few opposition MPs to support the NDA candidate through cross-voting.

From Maharashtra, the MVA collectively commands 31 MPs in the Lok Sabha. Out of these, Congress accounts for 13, Shiv Sena (UBT) has 9, NCP (SP) contributes 8, and one independent member backs the Congress. In the Rajya Sabha too, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) together have four MPs—two each. This bloc of 21 MPs from the two parties is now in the Mahayuti’s sights. Reports suggest that Fadnavis and the deputy CMs have already established informal channels with a few MPs from rival factions. Furthermore, some Union ministers from Maharashtra are said to have maintained personal rapport with opposition MPs, which the NDA hopes could pay off during the secret ballot.

Since the vice-presidential election does not enforce a party whip, leaders believe the chances of cross-voting are higher, as MPs are free to exercise their individual choice without formal party pressure. However, opposition leaders counter this strategy, claiming that the NDA is not entirely confident about its own flock staying united and is therefore attempting to lure votes from the MVA camp.

Both Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar have urged their MPs to remain firmly aligned with the INDIA alliance, emphasizing that maintaining numerical strength is crucial to sending out a strong political signal. Eventually, whether the MVA manages to keep its numbers intact will only be revealed once the ballot boxes are opened on result day.

Clampdown on Foreign Trips of Bureaucrats

Meanwhile, the state’s General Administration Department (GAD) has tightened the rules surrounding foreign tours of government officers. On August 21, the department issued a government resolution that sets down strict conditions for approval of such trips.

Officers will now need to provide justification for how an overseas visit benefits the government and detail how many foreign tours they have previously undertaken. A report from their last foreign tour must also be submitted. If the trip is being funded by a private organization, the officer must disclose the sponsor’s income source.

The approving authority will be required to ensure that the trip does not create a conflict of interest, nor is it the result of undue influence for an invitation. Additionally, clearance will not be granted if the officer in question has a reputation for questionable integrity or is currently facing disciplinary inquiries. According to senior GAD officials, these tighter rules were necessary as the older framework had loopholes, which a few officers had been exploiting for personal benefit.

Strained Equations Between Raj Thackeray and BJP?

The political equation between MNS chief Raj Thackeray and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also came under the spotlight recently. Raj met Fadnavis at his official residence on Thursday and presented proposals regarding parking issues in Mumbai. The two were together for around 45 minutes, sparking speculation that Raj was keen on maintaining cordial ties with the BJP leader.

However, a leaked audio clip from a closed-door meeting soon shifted the narrative. In it, Raj accused political rivals of orchestrating “vote theft” for nearly a decade, echoing recent remarks by Rahul Gandhi. This remark did not sit well with Fadnavis, who later clarified publicly that his meeting with Raj had no political significance. “Our alliances are not determined by who comes to meet us,” Fadnavis said pointedly.

Further adding to the intrigue, Mumbai guardian minister Ashish Shelar—once considered close to Raj—chose not to revive the “friendship” narrative. This was despite Raj’s son Amit meeting Shelar to request a postponement of exams during Ganesh festival. Shelar has previously distanced himself from Raj, especially after being targeted in an MNS rally last year.

Ajit Pawar’s Strong Message on Cleanliness

Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar is known for his no-nonsense attitude, especially when it comes to public cleanliness. This week, party workers in Wardha experienced it firsthand.

During his visit on Thursday, a worker presented Pawar with a bouquet but carelessly discarded the accompanying polythene bag on the road. An irate Pawar immediately picked up the bag and scolded the worker. “What are you doing? People dislike such behavior. Act responsibly,” he rebuked sharply, driving home the message that civic responsibility starts with individuals themselves.

Image Courtesy:

02 Jan 2026

BMC Elections

"Mahayuti sets its strategy banking on MVA votes to tilt the Vice-President election in its favour"

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