Maha alliances struggle to strike seat deals as polls near

Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents -- the Congress, the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, and the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar -- are still struggling to resolve internal differences over certain seats and fix an agreeable formula for the assembly polls even though the deadline for filing nominations is closing on October 29.

IMAGE: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole, Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sanjay Raut, NCP-SP leaders Anil Deshmukh and Jayant Patil address a joint press conference ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly election, in Mumbai. Photograph: ANI Photo

Statements by some Congress leaders from Maharashtra about different seat allocation formulas have added to the confusion, with the BJP watching gleefully.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi members last week announced to contest 85 seats each in the November 20 elections to the 288-member assembly.

Separately, senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat proposed a '90-90-90' arrangement for allies.

Thorat met Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence on Saturday.

Asked if the Congress would contest more than 100 seats, Thorat said he didn't keep a count.

He said that the Congress is contesting as an MVA member, adding that the Opposition bloc will win over 180 seats and install its chief minister.

The Congress leader further said the MVA has kept 18 seats for other friendly parties.

"AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge asked me to conduct negotiations through mutual understanding. Talks are on about certain seats in Mumbai," he said.

Thorat said he and Thackeray discussed planning for campaign meetings and the manifesto.

The growing unease in MVA over finalising a seat-sharing deal was reflected in Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sanjay Raut's remarks expressing the need for 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' in the Opposition bloc.

Talking to reporters, Raut also expressed displeasure over smaller parties like the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) unilaterally declaring candidates on seats with overlapping claims.

Notably, SP's Maharashtra president Abu Azmi on Friday said if the MVA does not reach a consensus with smaller parties, they will field candidates on 20-25 seats.

"Haryana Congress contested on all seats but could not form the government. So they have to take everyone along. If anyone needs the 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' slogan, it is the MVA," Raut said.

He said talks are on with Abu Azmi.

"Azmi will get his two constituencies but he has declared candidates for some seats. Peasants and the Workers Party declared their seats. This is not right. People get upset if anyone from MVA does this. We will continue our talks," Raut added.

State NCP-SP Jayant Patil said no seat-allocation formula has been finalised among MVA constituents. He insisted that decisions are being made on the winnability of candidates.

"Ninety or eighty-five seats -- no formula has been fixed. Whoever can win, that party will be considered. Our effort is to put forth our best candidate," said Patil.

Asked about the '90-90-90' arrangement for MVA partners as claimed by Balasaheb Thorat, the NCP-SP leader said, "One or two seats will (remain contentious) here and there."

Sena-UBT and the Congress have insisted on contesting over 100 seats each out of the 288 seats.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance too has not finalised a seat-sharing deal, indicating overlapping claims by three constituents on select constituencies.

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Saturday stated that discussions are underway among BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP- over seven to eight seats, ruling out differences.

"We are fighting like a family - taking everyone, including the elder brother and younger brother, along. The BJP will also come out with a joint manifesto tomorrow," he said.

The BJP has declared candidates for 121 constituencies so far, while the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Eknath Shinde-headed Shiv Sena declared 45 nominees each.

In the MVA camp, the Congress has declared 71 candidates, NCP-SP 67, and Shiv Sena-UBT 65 so far.

In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, BJP won the maximum 105 seats and its then ally Shiv Sena (undivided) 56.

The NCP (undivided), which was part of the UPA, bagged 54 constituencies and Congress 44.