MVA seat-sharing deal for Maharashtra Election: Congress, Shiv Sena UBT and NCP-SP to contest 85 seats each

Maharashtra's Opposition alliance Maha Aghadi Vikas (MVA) has "almost" finalised its seat-sharing pact. The alliance partners – Congress, Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) – will contest 85 seats each in the Maharashtra Election 2024, Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sanjay Raut announced on Wednesday.

"MVA allies to contest 85 seats each in Maharashtra assembly polls. There has been a consensus on 270 constituencies," Sanjay Raut was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.

The Maharashtra Assembly has a total of 288 seats. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said the rest of the 18 seats will be left for smaller parties. Shiv Sena-UBT leader Raut said, “We will include the Samajwadi Party, PWP, CPI(M), CPI, and AAP [in the alliance]."

Raut further informed that discussions are still on for the remaining seats. "We have amicably arrived at a consensus on 270 seats. MVA stands united to defeat the Mahayuti government," Raut while addressing a press conference on Wednesday evening.

The announcement on MVA's seat-sharing deal came amid rumours about a rift withing the alliance. NCP-SCP leader Jitendra Awhad dismissed the rumours on Wednesday, saying, "Seat sharing has been finalised on almost all seats and the list will be released soon...There are no differences between Sanjay Raut and Nana Patole. Sharad Pawar takes everyone along with him..."

Earlier on Tuesday, Raut said that the MVA's candidate list was delayed because the alliance will form the government in the state. “...we have to choose candidates and seats very carefully,” he said earlier.

"The work was almost completed last night. There are no disputes or differences among us. Everything is going on well," Raut said on Tuesday.

Shiv Sena-UBT releases first list

Earlier on Wednesday, the Shiv Sena (UBT) released its first list of 65 candidates for the Maharashtra assembly elections, with former minister Aaditya Thackeray being fielded from his current Worli constituency in central Mumbai.

In Thane's Kopri-Panchpakhadi seat, where Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is in the fray, the Shiv Sena (UBT) fielded Kedar Dighe. Kedar Dighe is the nephew of late Sena leader Anand Dighe, considered to be Shinde's political mentor.

Yuva Sena leader and Thackeray's cousin Varun Sardesai would contest from Bandra (East) seat in the city. The party also renominated most of its MLAs who stayed with Uddhav Thackeray after the split in the Shiv Sena in 2022.