The ongoing discord within the Maha Vikas Aghadi, an alliance comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), and the Congress in Maharashtra, regarding the allocation of Lok Sabha seats shows no signs of resolution, with negotiations primarily snagged on four contentious constituencies - Sangli, Mumbai South-Central, Mumbai North-West, and Bhiwandi.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut affirmed on Thursday that his party intended to contest from the Mumbai seats, asserting that prior discussions had addressed this matter. His remarks came in response to the Congress's expressed frustration following the Shiv Sena's announcement of its initial list of 17 candidates, which included nominations for the Sangli seat and several Mumbai constituencies.
Meanwhile, the Congress has urged its MVA partners to reconsider their stance, emphasizing the importance of adhering to "coalition dharma." Notably, the Shiv Sena (UBT) highlighted instances where it had made concessions, such as relinquishing the Ramtek and Kolhapur seats to the Congress and allocating Amravati as well.
In light of the stalemate, Congress leader Nana Patole stressed the necessity of consensus within the Maha Vikas Aghadi, emphasizing that unilateral decisions are contrary to the principles of coalition governance. He specifically called for the allocation of the Bhiwandi seat to the Congress.
On the other hand, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Supriya Sule downplayed the disagreement, stating that contention existed only over one seat and expressed optimism in resolving the issue promptly. Emphasizing the democratic nature of the alliance, Sule reiterated the importance of open dialogue among coalition partners.
With the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra scheduled across five phases between April 19 and May 20, and vote counting slated for June 4, the urgency to resolve the seat allocation impasse within the Maha Vikas Aghadi becomes increasingly pressing.
