Seat-sharing row: Sena (UBT) approaches Rahul, says state Cong leaders unable to decide
On his part, MPCC chief Nana Patole said a list of some seats where there are claims of overlapping have been sent to the high commands of each party, which will help resolve the deadlock
Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray said that seat-sharing has reached a final stage and might get resolved as early as October 19. (File Photo)
UNHAPPY with the way the Maharashtra Congress leaders were handling the seat-sharing issue, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has approached the party’s Delhi bosses and urged them to show a sense of urgency in finalising the seat allocation. The Sena has told the Congress top leadership that if seat-sharing is not decided in the next couple of days, it will prove detrimental to the interest of the Maha Vikas Aghadi and at the same time ensure that the alliance does not break.
“We are disappointed by the way the Congress leaders in Maharashtra are handling seat sharing. There has been a consensus only on 200 seats so far. In fact, by this time, we should have finalised the seat-sharing to get an early start… If we do not get our act together, how we are we going to win the election,” said Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said.
Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said, “During seat-sharing, some differences do crop up. But all the three parties should ensure that it does not lead to the alliance breaking.” Uddhav added that seat-sharing has reached a final stage and might get resolved as early as October 19.
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Raut said on Friday morning he spoke to Congress general secretaries K C Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik and the party’s Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala over the stalled seat-sharing.
“I also spoke to Rahul Gandhi about this,” he said. Sena sources said Raut spoke to Rahul Gandhi and complained about the way Maharashtra Congress leaders were trying to put up hurdles. “Rahul Gandhi has promised to expedite the matter immediately,” a Sena leader said.
“We are demanding more seats in Vidarbha. This is because during Lok Sabha we had given Congress two seats— Amravati and Ramtek — which we had been winning repeatedly. In return, we were promised we would be given more seats during assembly elections. But now the Congress is going back on its own words,” he said.
Raut said he was forced to approach the Congress top leaders in Delhi as it seemed like the Maharashtra party leaders were not capable of taking decisions here in the state. ”After every discussion, they are rushing to Delhi to get approval. This is happening too frequently and delaying seat-sharing. There is hardly any time left… we have to go full hog in the election. Instead of planning the campaigning, we are still stuck with seat-sharing. No one knows who is going to contest from where. This way we will be handing the advantage to the Mahayuti. We only hope the Congress leadership will act fast and swiftly and will not delay seat-sharing any further in the larger interest of the MVA,” he said.
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On his part, MPCC chief Nana Patole said a list of some seats where there are claims of overlapping have been sent to the high commands of each party, which will help resolve the deadlock. “In the next two days, the matter should get resolved,” he said.
Patole said he does not want to get into what Raut said. “Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will look into it,” he said.
NCP leader Jitendra Ahwad also downplayed the turmoil in the MVA. “In politics, such duels happen but they also get resolved,” he said.
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