Mahayuti, MVA finalise seat talks: BJP to contest from 152, Congress in 101

In the Mahayuti, the BJP will contest from the most number of seats, 152, while in the MVA, the Congress will field the maximum number of candidates — in 101 constituencies.

BJP’s ally Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena will be contesting on 80 seats. The third major Mahayuti constituent, Deputy CM Ajiit Pawar- led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), managed to get only 52 seats. In Lok Sabha elections too, the NCP got only four seats to contest.

Meanwhile in the MVA, Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena UBT will contest on 96 seats while Sharad Pawar led NCP- SP will fight from 87 seats.

Finalising seat-sharing arrangements on 284 seats for the elections to 288-seat Assembly, both Mahayuti and MVA have left four seats each for its smaller allies.

In the MVA, the Samajawadi Party will fight from two seats — Bhiwandi East and Mankhurd-Shivajinagar. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) will  field their candidates from  Dahanu (ST) and Kalvan (ST).

Among those who filed their nomination papers Tuesday was Rajesh Khandare of Shinde Sena, who will contest from Dharavi.

Earlier there was a speculation that the seat will be given to Mahayuti ally RPI (A) and IRS officer Sameer Wankhede will be fielded from there.

The Sena’s (UBT) Baburao Mane too has filed his nomination from Dharavi.

In Mahim, sitting MLA Sada Sarvankar filed his nomination as Shinde Sena candidate, paving way a triangular fight in the constituency — Sarvankar will face MNS’s Amit Thackeray and Sena UBT’s Mahesh Sawant.

The MNS is trying to convince Saravankar to withdraw his nomination to help Amit Thackeray, since party chief Raj Thackeray had supported the Mahayuti during the Lok Sabha polls.

Confusion persists over Shirpur seat too as both NCP(SP) and Communist Party of India (CPI) candidates filed nominations from this seat.

The NCP(SP), however, has not mentioned this seat in its official list of declared candidates.