Maharashtra Assembly polls 2024: MVA to finalise seat-sharing deal after crucial meeting today
On Sunday, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut provided a positive update, saying that the MVA alliance had successfully reached an agreement on 210 out of the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra.
The final seat-sharing agreement between the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies is all set to take place on Tuesday (October 22) after a crucial meeting in Mumbai. This development comes after several rounds of negotiations between the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) over the distribution of seats for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Maharashtra Ramesh Chennithala confirmed that the seat-sharing deal between the MVA members would be finalised on Tuesday. He also noted that another Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting is scheduled for October 25 to discuss further preparations. The Congress has already reviewed candidates for 63 assembly seats, while the ongoing discussions are primarily focused on around 35-40 seats, where a consensus is yet to be reached.
Delhi-NCR air quality deteriorates: GRAP Stage 2 implemented - What you need to know
On Sunday, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut provided a positive update, saying that the MVA alliance had successfully reached an agreement on 210 out of the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra. "It is a significant achievement. We aim to contest the polls as a united force, and together, we will defeat those who are looting Maharashtra," Raut said. However, despite this progress, the allocation of certain seats, particularly those contested by the Congress, remains unresolved.
The tension over seat-sharing has particularly centered around Nagpur South, which the Congress is unwilling to concede to Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT). This seat has become a sticking point in negotiations, with both sides holding firm on their positions.
Additionally, in the Vandre East constituency, which is currently held by Congress MLA Zeeshan Siddique, Shiv Sena (UBT) has expressed interest in fielding Uddhav Thackeray’s nephew, Varun Sardesai. These disputes have prolonged the negotiations.
In an effort to resolve the impasse, Chennithala held a meeting with Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday, but no final decision was reached. Despite these challenges, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole expressed optimism, saying that the party's screening committee had cleared candidates for 96 seats.