Cong, NCP have 8 seats left to split

MUMBAI: The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which held a meeting on Friday to work out an amicable solution for seat-sharing in the 2019 polls, have reached a consensus over 40 Lok Sabha constituencies, but failed to resolve a dispute over eight seats.

This matter is likely to be taken up with the leadership of both parties.

The two parties have already declared alliance for the 2019 polls, and are trying to bring other like-minded parties on board to challenge the ruling parties,

the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena for the upcoming elections.

“Both Congress and NCP have staked their claim on some of the seats, which have led to a dispute. Congress wants the Ahmednagar seat, while NCP is stressing on

Pune, Aurangabad and Jalna Lok Sabha seats. Things have yet to be sorted out. We are hoping to resolve the issue in the next meeting expected to be held after Diwali. In case, we do not reach a consensus, then the issue pertaining to those seats will be taken to the leadership for resolution,” said a senior leader who was present in the meet.

However, the parties have agreed to leave three seats for their small allies – Hathkanangale for Raju Shetti-led Swabhiman Paksha, Amravati for Rajendra Gawai-led Republican Party of India (RPI), and Akola for Prakash Ambedkar-led Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM). Though Ambedkar has declared his plan to forge an alliance with the All India Majlis-eittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Congress leaders are still in talks with him and hope things will be sorted out, said another leader requesting anonymity.