MVA to announce final list in a day or two, says MPCC chief Nana Patole
The MVA allies held a meeting at Sharad Pawar’s residence to finalise seatsharing arrangements; Shiv Sena (UBT) likely to contest on 20 seats, Congress and NCP (SP) to contest on 18 and 10
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition will announce the seatsharing formula and its list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha election in a day or two, State unit Congress committee chief Nana Patole said here on Thursday.
Hours after this announcement the Congress formally released the names of seven candidates including Praniti Shinde, daughter of former Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who will contest from Solapur. Others in Thursday’s list include Chhatrapati Shahu Shahaji Maharaj, a descendant of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, from Kolhapur; Gowaal K. Padvi, son of former minister K.C. Padvi, from tribaldominated Nandurbar; Balwant Wankhede (Amravati SC), Ravindra Dhangekar (Pune), Vasantrao Chavan (Nanded) and Shivajirao Kalge (LaturSC).
The MVA allies — the Uddhav Thackerayled Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) — held a meeting at the residence of Sharad Pawar in the morning and held discussions on seatsharing arrangements, campaigning, public meetings, and other election strategies, Mr. Patole said.
In Maharashtra, which sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh, the election will be held in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 20. Mr. Patole, along with Congress Legislature Party leader Babasaheb Thorat, Leader of the Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar, and AICC State incharge Ramesh Chennithala attended the CEC meeting chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leader Sonia Gandhi and general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal in New Delhi.
Sources told The Hindu that the Shiv Sena (UBT) would contest 20 seats, while the Congress and the NCP (SP) would contest on 18 and 10 seats respectively. “The list includes former Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s daughter Praniti Shinde from Solapur, Vasant Chavan from Nanded and Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj from Kolhapur,” they said.
BJP jibe
Meanwhile, Deputy CM and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis took a jibe at the MVA over sharing of seats, saying MVA leaders have been meeting for two months but haven’t reached a decision yet.