Mumbai: As the squabbling over the seat sharing still continues, the top leadership of both Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) is reportedly unhappy over the turn of events. The party insiders feel that the delay in seat allocation might hamper the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi’s chances in the Vidhan Sabha polls.
There are select seats in the Mumbai and Vidarbha region, for which both the parties are jostling which has resulted in the delay in completion of seat allocation. Despite holding several hectic parlays, the deadlock has still not been broken.
Sources said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray are both displeased over the delay and they expressed the need for quick settlement of the dispute.
After the earlier formula of 85 seats to each of MVA allies – the Congress, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and the Sharad Pawar’s NCP – was announced, the alliance reportedly came up with a revised seat-sharing formula under which all three main parties will get 90 seats to contest. As per the latest latest plan, the remaining 18 seats will be given to other small parties in MVA.
Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat met Uddhav Thackeray at his residence on Saturday. He said that he and Thackeray discussed planning for campaign meetings and the manifesto.
State NCP (SP) Jayant Patil said no seat-allocation formula has been finalised among MVA constituents. He insisted that decisions are being made on the winnability of candidates. “Ninety or eighty-five seats – no formula has been fixed. Whoever can win, that party will be considered. Our effort is to put forth our best candidate,” said Patil.
Citing the Haryana assembly poll results, senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut reiterated that the Congress should respect its allies. “Haryana Congress contested on all seats but could not form the government. So they have to take everyone along. If anyone needs the ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ slogan, then it has to be the MVA,” Raut said.