Sena (UBT) to release first list of LS candidates today

Shiv Sena to announce first list of 15-16 candidates on Tuesday amidst seat-sharing disputes with NCP and Congress in Maharashtra.

Mumbai: Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena is all set to declare its first list on Tuesday, said the party spokesperson Sanjay Raut on Monday. “We will declare our first list of candidates on March 26. We are expecting to release names of 15-16 candidates for the polls,” said Raut.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has approached the Supreme Court against the speaker’s order (ANI FILE)

This move came in the backdrop of a crucial meeting held between Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) on Monday, which lasted for almost two hours, where both parties tried to resolve their differences over the seat-sharing pact after the Maharashtra Congress leadership conveyed that they cannot change their stand on the four seats in dispute. Now, they must deal with the party leadership.

It was also for the first time in many years that NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar visited Matoshree, the Thackeray family residence in Bandra, accompanied by the state president Jayant Patil.

Both Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) have yet to declare the names of their candidates officially. The parties are willing to contest 22 and 10 seats respectively, as allies of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition.

Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress are fighting to contest Mumbai South Central and Sangli Lok Sabha seats whereas Congress and NCP (SP) are in disagreement over Bhiwandi and Wardha constituencies.

Both Pawar and Thackeray discussed how to deal with the Congress leadership as the state leaders have taken a stand that they are not ready to leave any of the four seats, insiders said, adding that they also discussed the counter strategy if Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar decides to end parleys over seat sharing.

Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) leaders also discussed their stand on attending the mega rally organized by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) at Ramlila Maidan on March 31. The rally is being organised to protest the arrest of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in a liquor scam case, insiders pointed out.