MVA negotiations face hurdle on four Lok Sabha seats; Kharge discusses with Pawar

March 12, 2024 09:55 pm | Updated 10:03 pm IST - Nandurbar

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has outlined a seat-sharing arrangement for nearly all constituencies, but negotiations continue for four contentious Lok Sabha seats in the State.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is learnt to have spoken with Nationalist Congress Party (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Tuesday to address the matter at the earliest. Mr. Pawar, in turn, will communicate with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray.

Mr. Kharge also held a meeting with the national alliance committee members K.C Venugopal, Mukul Wasnik, and Salman Khurshid to reach a final resolution, as they want to complete the seat-sharing formula before the INDIA bloc’s public rally in Mumbai on March 17, which marks the beginning of the electoral campaign.

The seats still under consideration are Mumbai South-Central, Bhiwandi, Nashik, and Ramtek, leaders engaged in the seat-sharing discussions told The Hindu.

The MVA, consisting of the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress, and the NCP (SP), faces considerations linked to the historical practice of the undivided Shiv Sena of fielding candidates against the NCP-Congress coalition in the western State.

“The issue has to be resolved at the earliest. We can’t delay it further, but an alliance partner is adamant of fielding their candidates from at least two of four contentious seats,” a senior Congress leader said.

Mumbai South-Central is one of the contentious seats currently held by Rahul Shewale of the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Sena. It was historically under Shiv Sena from 1989 to 2004 and the party is not ready to give up, while the Congress views it as a winnable seat. Thane’s Bhiwandi is another seat, currently represented by BJP’s Kapil Patil. Sources said both the NCP (SP) and the Congress seek this constituency. However, the NCP leaders are said to have told Congress that it doesn’t have a significant presence. Nashik, traditionally witnessing candidates from both the NCP (NCP) and Uddhav’s Sena, is also causing challenges in MVA negotiations, and Ramtek is the fourth Lok Sabha seat with historical competition between the Congress and the undivided Shiv Sena.

The leader quoted first said they are also discussing the impact of Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi factor in case the Dalit leaders plan to align with the ruling BJP.

“In all likelihood, he will join hands with the other party. All of us, including Mr. Pawar, have done our best to convince him,” the leader said.