Maharashtra Assembly Elections-2024: With the announcement of assembly elections in Maharashtra, political parties are deep in discussions, strategizing over seat-sharing arrangements. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising key parties such as the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction), has made significant progress in their deliberations. Out of the 288 assembly seats in the state, consensus has been reached on 260, leaving 28 seats unresolved.
A recent nine-hour marathon meeting in Mumbai saw MVA leaders discussing these remaining seats, and while some issues were ironed out, a follow-up meeting has been scheduled for Friday, October 18, to address the lingering deadlock.
Deadlock on 28 Seats
The MVA has decided to contest all 288 assembly seats in the upcoming elections. With the election announcement, negotiations over seat sharing between the MVA and the rival coalition, Mahayuti, have gained momentum. According to NCP leader Anil Deshmukh, discussions have led to a consensus on roughly 90 percent of the seats within the MVA alliance. However, the main sticking point remains the allocation of 28 seats, where disagreements between the constituent parties have yet to be resolved.
Progress on 90% of the Seats
Maharashtra Congress State President Nana Patole expressed optimism following the recent meeting of MVA leaders. He said discussions have covered all 288 assembly seats. He emphasized that while 20 to 25 seats still require decisions from the respective party high commands, significant headway has been made.
NCP (Sharad Pawar) party chief Sharad Pawar echoed these sentiments, claiming that the MVA has already reached a consensus on 260 seats. Pawar had earlier predicted that the alliance would form the government together, stating that an agreement had been reached on 200 seats. The number has since increased, but the allocation of the remaining 28 seats is still under negotiation, with a final decision expected after further discussions.
Seat Distribution in Mumbai
One of the key areas of focus in the MVA's seat-sharing talks has been Mumbai, which holds 36 assembly seats. The recent meeting yielded an agreement on 33 of these seats, with the Congress expected to contest the highest number. According to sources, Congress is likely to contest 15 seats, while the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) is expected to contest 18. The NCP is likely to get two seats, and the Samajwadi Party one.
However, a deadlock remains on three key seats, including those in the Kurla and Byculla constituencies, where further negotiations will be needed to reach a final consensus.
Future of MVA Alliance
As the elections draw closer, the MVA’s ability to finalize seat-sharing agreements will be crucial to their success. While there is broad agreement on most of the seats, the remaining unresolved 28 seats could play a pivotal role in shaping the future dynamics of the alliance. Leaders of the MVA have emphasized that the party with the strongest chance of winning from a particular constituency will be allocated that seat. The expectation is that further meetings will bring clarity and closure to the seat-sharing process, allowing the alliance to move forward united into the election battle.
In the coming days, it will be critical for the MVA to resolve the internal disagreements over these contested seats to maintain their cohesion and strengthen their electoral prospects. As the rival Mahayuti coalition prepares for its own electoral strategies, all eyes are on the MVA to see if it can come together and mount a formidable challenge in the Maharashtra assembly elections.
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