MVA finalises plan for 38 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra

Mumbai: Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Thursday finalised its seat sharing formula for majority of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena UBT, the Sharad Pawar faction of NCP and Congress will contest these seats, while the decision on the remaining seats — less than 10 — will be finalised after discussion with the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and Raju Shetti-led Swabhiman Shetkari Sangathana.

According to sources, less than ten seats including Akola, Hatkanangale, Raigad, Kolhapur, Amaravati and Bhandara have not been finalised. Out of these, VBA and SSS will be offered one seat each. The MVA leaders held the meeting in a five star hotel. The Shiv Sena (UBT) will get the highest share of seats, followed by the Congress and Sharad Pawar-led NCP. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said that the winnability is the criteria for the seat sharing in the MVA. “We will ensure that there is a single MVA candidate against the BJP candidates in all 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. So that we will win maximum seats,” said Mr. Patole.

Earlier in the day, the MVA invited the VBA chief for the meeting in the five star hotel.



However, Mr. Ambedker accused the Congress of playing “mind games”. He insisted that the invitation should be signed by either Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge or Congress’s Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala for the VBA to consider participating in the MVA meeting. Following this, the MVA leaders have held a discussion with Mr.Ambedkar in the meeting over the phone on Akola seat and subsequently got him connected with the Maharashtra Congress incharge, who pacified and convinced him to attend a next meeting of the MVA on January 30.

Later, the MVA leaders arranged a phone call between Mr. Ambedkar and Mr. Chennithala, after which the VBA chief agreed to attend the meeting on January 30. According to sources in the MVA, they have almost finalised 38 seats. The sources also said that there are four seats including Mumbai South Central, Hingoli and Shirdi, which are claimed by the Congress and Shiv Sena UBT. “We are seeking Mumbai South Central, Hingoli and Shirdi from the Shiv Sena (UBT) as we have a strong base in these seats. They had previously represented these seats,” the Congress leader said.