Rahul Gandhi calls Pawar, Thackeray on seat-sharing deadlock. Seeking resolution, Rahul Gandhi reaches out to Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray amidst seat-sharing impasse.
Following the departure of several key figures from Maharashtra Congress:
Negotiations over seat-sharing within the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) have stalled. Sources report that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi contacted Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray as discussions on allocating Lok Sabha seats reached an impasse. Prior to this, Gandhi had spoken with NCP supremo Sharad Pawar to explore avenues for reaching a consensus on seat distribution.
Sources indicate that there is a deadlock on eight of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. The Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) are competing for these seats, which include:
Ramtek, Hingoli, Jalna, Mumbai North-West, Mumbai South-Central, Shirdi, Bhiwandi, and Wardha.
Delayed Meeting and Additional Players:
A meeting slated for further discussions in Mumbai on February 22 has been rescheduled to February 27 due to the unavailability of senior leaders. Meanwhile, other parties such as:
Raju Shetti’s Swabhimani Shetkari Party, the Samajwadi Party, and Left parties
are also engaging in negotiations to secure their positions in the ongoing seat distribution process.
Prakash Ambedkar’s Concerns:
In the midst of these discussions, Prakash Ambedkar, chief of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), expresses dissatisfaction with the MVA. Additionally asserting that none of the allied parties are reaching a consensus on seat allocation. Ambedkar vows to present his proposal once the MVA finalizes their seat-sharing. It emphasises the necessity of a common minimum program to ensure the alliance’s smooth operation.
Amid discussions of potential divisions within the MVA over numerous seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MP Sanjay Raut has affirmed their commitment to contesting 23 seats in the state, with four seats designated for Mumbai alone, leaving just two seats for allies. Raut expressed confidence that consensus would be achieved in the upcoming meeting.
However, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole clarified that despite Sanjay Raut’s assertion, the final agreement on seat distribution would only be determined after discussions between Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar.
Currently, the proposed seat-sharing arrangement within the MVA stands as follows: 14 seats for the Congress, 15 for Shiv Sena (UBT) (including one each for the VBA and Swabhimani Party), 9 for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), with 8 seats remaining contested.
