Mumbai: The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance--comprising the Congress, the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT)--will contest 85 seats each in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections.
Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole announced on Wednesday that discussions with other alliance partners, including the Samajwadi Party (SP), regarding the remaining 18 seats will be finalized by tomorrow.
"We have agreed that Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Shiv Sena (UBT) will contest 85 seats each. We will have talks with other alliance partners including SP, about the remaining 18 seats and they will be cleared by tomorrow. We are contesting the elections under the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) banner and will form the government," Patole told reporters.
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Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar confirmed that the seat-sharing arrangement within the alliance has been finalized.
"The figure is decided. Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and Shiv Sena (UBT) will contest 85 seats each with 15 seats reserved for internal exchange. The remaining 18 seats are for the alliance partners. We will discuss with them and decide on those seats," Wadettiwar said.
Earlier in the day, the Shiv Sena (UBT) released a list of 65 candidates for the elections. The list includes Aaditya Thackeray and Sunil Raut. Aaditya Thackeray will contest from the Worli assembly constituency.
As election preparations intensify, both the ruling Mahayuti alliance--comprising of the BJP, the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and Ajit Pawar's NCP-- and the opposition MVA are gearing up for the polls.
The Maharashtra assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with counting for all 288 constituencies set to take place on November 23.
In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena won 56 seats, and the Congress secured 44 seats. In 2014, the BJP won 122 seats, while the Shiv Sena won 63 and the Congress 42.
—ANI