It has been reported that veteran Maharashtra leader Sharad Pawar has expressed discontent towards his allies in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), namely the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), for unilaterally declaring their candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, without prior discussion. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that during an internal meeting of his Nationalist Congress Party faction held on Wednesday, Pawar emphasized the importance of adhering to "alliance dharma" and expressed disappointment over the lack of coordination among the MVA partners.
According to sources, Sharad Pawar stressed the significance of jointly announcing candidates through a collaborative effort in a joint press conference, rather than each party making individual declarations. Additionally, he raised concerns about the timing of the candidate announcements, particularly when seat-sharing discussions were still ongoing between the coalition partners.
In response to the perceived breach of alliance norms by his allies, it is reported that the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) has decided to proceed with naming its candidates without prior consultation with the other MVA constituents.
During the internal meeting of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), discussions revolved around the allocation of Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, particularly focusing on approximately ten constituencies. Sources indicate that the party is poised to unveil its candidates for at least five seats during the meeting.
Notably, tensions within the MVA have escalated over the allocation of four Lok Sabha seats – Sangli, Bhiwandi, Mumbai North West, and Mumbai South Central. Attempts at resolution were made on Tuesday when Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat visited Sharad Pawar at his residence in a bid to address the contentious issue and foster harmony within the alliance.
