Will complete seat-sharing pact by Dussehra: Nana Patole

The Maha Vikas Aghadi has finalized seat-sharing for 200-250 Maharashtra assembly constituencies, aiming for an announcement before Dussehra.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has completed its seat-sharing talks for the Maharashtra assembly elections for around 200 to 250 constituencies and is likely to make a formal announcement on the overall deal before Dussehra, members of the opposition alliance in the western state said on Wednesday.

Will complete seat-sharing pact by Dussehra: Nana Patole

There are 288 seats in the Maharashtra assembly. The Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) or NCP (SP) are part of the MVA.

Speaking to reporters, NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad said discussions on the seat-sharing arrangement are over for around 200 to 250 seats. “We have completed our talks for 200 to 250 seats. There is no doubt that sitting MLAs will again be fielded from their respective constituencies,” he said.

State Congress president Nana Patole said the allies are trying to complete the discussion by Dussehra, which is on October 12. “There is no conflict among us. We have also started our discussions with smaller allies such as communist parties and the Samajwadi Party. We are hoping to complete our seat sharing talks by Dussehra,” he said.

“We will decide based on merits. Soon there will be clarity on the seat discussion,” he added.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, people aware of the details said the allies have broadly decided on a formula, under which the Congress may contest on 100 to 110 seats, the Sena (UBT) between 90 to 100 seats and the NCP(SP) on 80 to 85 seats.

The final round of talks will resume on October 7, the people said.