Congress-NCP led mega alliance taking shape in Maharashtra

The parties are also in the process of finalising their coalition with smaller parties.

With general elections around the corner, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are close to putting their coalition of opposition parties together. They have already reached consensus on 40 Lok Sabha seats and are now planning one more round of meeting in Mumbai today to resolve issues related to the remaining eight seats.

The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are close to putting their coalition of opposition parties together. (HT File)

The parties are also in the process of finalising their coalition with smaller parties. For this, they have agreed to allocate more Lok Sabha seats for them than planned. Earlier, they had planned to set aside three seats for smaller parties. The two parties are also keen on getting the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on board for general elections in the state.

The eight seats where both Congress and NCP want to field their candidates are: Pune, Ahmednagar, Jalna, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Aurangabad, Yavatmal, Raver and Nandurbar.

In addition, NCP is also keen on sharing equal number of seats with Congress as an alliance partner for the polls and is demanding more seats this time.

In 2014, Congress had contested on 26 seats while NCP contested polls on 22 seats. However, Congress could win only two seats while NCP managed to register victory in four seats. “This is the reason NCP is stressing on getting equal number of seats with Congress this time,” said an NCP insider.

“Congress wants Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat and is ready to exchange it with the neighbouring Shirdi constituency. NCP has staked its claim for Pune, Aurangabad, Raver, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg and Yavatmal seats, which were contested by Congress in the last polls,” said a senior Congress leader requesting anonymity.

Senior NCP leader Praful Patel said, “We have decided that NCP and Congress will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls together on 40 seats. However, a decision is yet to be taken for the remaining eight seats.”

“Our talks are going on in a very positive environment,” said Ashok Chavan, state Congress president. “Tomorrow, we are again meeting to resolve whatever dispute remains related to those eight seats. We are also hoping to sort out everything. In case they are not resolved, then those issues will be left for the party leaderships to decide.”

Congress and NCP are also in talks with Swabhimani Paksha led by Raju Shetti, Republican Party of India (RPI) led by Rajendra Gawai, Bahujan Vikas Aaghadi (BVA) led by Vasai legislator Hitendra Thakur, Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) led by Prakash Ambedkar and Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWP).

Though Ambedkar has declared he is forging an alliance with All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Congress is still in talks with him and hopes he will join their alliance, said a senior Congress leader.