Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, commenting on seat-sharing for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, said all Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance party leaders will have a meeting together and decide about the seat sharing. “There has been no discussion on seat sharing yet.”
A meeting was held at my residence, where it was discussed that leaders from all three parties (of the MVA) would decide on it. Uddhav Thackeray, Sonia Gandhi or Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and I will sit together to discuss it,” said Pawar
Amid reports of disagreement in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) over the seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said that each party will get the seats based on its elective merit.
“Each party will undertake an exercise to analyze which seats can be contested by that respective party. There is nothing wrong with it. But ultimately, elective merit will be important, and many seats will be contested by the party,” said Patole.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant told Afternoon Voice, “When it comes to seat sharing with MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi), we expect the same parties to get the seats from their constituency to avoid any differences with the people, and MVA is a bunch of very mature people who will understand the situation “If any other seats are allotted, then the exchange can be done, but the party has yet to take a final call on it.”
“Every party expects their own growth in their state,” said Congress MLA Varsha Gaikwad, “and I think that the areas that are led by other parties’ leaders will be taken in confidence first, and then after checking the on-ground situation, a decision will be taken by MVA.”
“When it comes to the upcoming elections, decisions should be made in favor of the MVA,” Gaikwad further added.
“I personally believe Shiv Sena (UBT) has a stronghold in Worli and nearby areas, and I would like Shiv Sena to retain these seats in the upcoming polls,” Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Sunil Shinde said, “but the final call rests with our senior leaders.”
“Some political leaders believe that all parties are equal and that after every possible debate, they should reach a single consensus,” NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto said.
Crasto further said, “The aim of calling opposition leaders together is to bring down the ruling government for the betterment of the people.”
“Through MVA, senior leaders will take the decision,” said Congress leader Hussain Dalwai, “but it is also important to know that Congress is a national party, so it should get more seats, and Congress will win approximately more than 40 seats.”
Patole’s statement comes against the backdrop of a recent exchange of words between the three parties of the MVA—the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Congress.
“My efforts are for bringing the opposition together, the same efforts are being made by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. I am not contesting the next election, so where is the question of becoming a PM candidate? I am not in the race to become PM. We want a leader who can work for the development of the nation,” Pawar said, according to the news agency.
