MUMBAI: Despite reservations within the Maharashtra Congress over including Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in the Opposition's Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief and former Union minister Sharad Pawar has decided to persuade the party to back the move.

Pawar believes bringing the MNS into the MVA fold could strengthen the Opposition alliance against the BJP-led Mahayuti in upcoming local body elections. The NCP (SP) chief recently said that while the alliance may include people with different ideologies, they are united in their fight to protect democracy and the right to vote. He added that this spirit of unity reminded him of the days of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, when people set aside differences for a larger cause.

Sources said

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