MVA finally clinches seat-sharing pact in Maharashtra, Congress bags most seats

MUMBAI: After prolonged disputes and bickering, the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) finalised its seat-sharing formula for the upcoming assembly elections late on Tuesday. Insiders revealed that the Congress would contest 105 seats, the Shiv Sena (UBT) 95 and the NCP (SP) 84 seats. The remaining four seats will be given to the smaller allies of the coalition, reportedly to ensure that they remain part of the alliance.
The seat-sharing formula is different from that in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections where the Shiv Sena (UBT) contested the maximum number of seats (21 of 48), the Congress fought 17 and the NCP (SP) contested on ten. The turnaround in numbers in these elections came from the fact that the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the Lok Sabha polls—it won 13 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s nine and the NCP (SP)’s eight.
The seat-sharing talks, which had stretched on for weeks, formally resumed between the three parties on Monday after senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, who was appointed as a mediator, met NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray at their respective residences. The Congress leadership wanted to ease the tension that had built up during the hectic parleys which did not end on a positive note, leading to a trading of barbs between Sena (UBT) and Congress leaders last week.
“There are a few seats left that need further discussion,” Thorat had said after meeting Pawar on Tuesday morning. “There is no dispute among us. All three parties have strong candidates and hence are pressing their claims,” he emphasised, hinting that the alliance partners had ironed out their differences on most of the seats.
Thorat, who is known as a soft-spoken leader, managed to de-escalate the situation, and leaders from the three parties held a discussion on the disputed seats, bringing their number further down to 12, said the MVA insiders cited above. Among these six seats—Sangola, Junnar, Khed Alandi, Chinchwad, Bhosri and Paranda—were claimed by both the NCP (SP) and the Shiv Sena (UBT).
Earlier on Tuesday, state Congress president Nana Patole had told reporters that the MVA parties were trying to finish the talks within the day. Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said after the meeting that a formula had been decided on, and it would be announced on Wednesday.
The ruling Mahayuti alliance too was unable to finalise an amicable seat-sharing pact between its three constituents until Tuesday. However, the three parties have broadly worked out the formula: 155 to 160 seats to the BJP, 85 to 90 to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and 45 to 50 to the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, according to leaders privy to the talks. There is a dispute over 25-odd seats, which is expected to be sorted out soon, they said.
Leaders from the three parties are expected to meet union home Amit Shah to resolve the issue. Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis left for Delhi late on Tuesday. Earlier, chief minister Eknath Shinde and Fadnavis held a meeting at the former’s official bungalow, Varsha, late on Monday and tried to resolve the seat-sharing stalemate.
Of the 25 to 28 disputed seats, a few are from Mumbai, including Andheri East, Dindoshi and Worli. The ruling alliance is expected to support Maharashtra Navnirman Sena candidates in key constituencies like Sewri and Mahim to prevent the division of votes.
Apart from this, the three parties have decided to exchange some of the seats with sitting MLAs and candidates in the absence of meritorious contenders. For instance, BJP leader Rajkumar Badole joined the Ajit Pawar-led NCP on Tuesday and will contest from Arjuni Morgaon where Ajit’s sitting MLA Manohar Chandrikapure is likely to be dropped. There will be more such exchanges and adjustments,” said a leader from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.