Maharashtra polls: Sharad Pawar steps in as MVA fails to finalise seat-sharing

Mumbai: Amid a stalemate in the Maha Vikas Aghadi over the sharing of seats for the Maharashtra assembly polls, allies Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) met NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and held deliberations.

MVA sources said a seat-sharing deal is likely to be sealed in a day or two after arriving at consensus.

Pawar stayed put at YB Chavan Centre in Mumbai where Congress leader Naseem Khan, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Aaditya Thackeray, Sanjay Raut, Anil Parab, and NCP (SP)'s Anil Deshmukh called on him.

Senior Congress leaders from Maharashtra are in Delhi to attend the central election committee meeting, sources said.

"Talks among MVA allies are centred around 10 to 12 seats to decide which party can give a better candidate," they said.

Naseem Khan told PTI that discussions for building a consensus on the remaining 10 per cent of seats are in progress.

"Since Sharad Pawar is the architect of MVA we met him today and held talks," Khan said.

Meanwhile former MLC and JD (U) leader Kapil Patil joined the Congress in Delhi.

On a day the BJP declared its first list of 99 candidates, NCP (SP) spokesperson Clyde Crasto claimed the saffron party has fielded dynasts.

"Those who feel BJP doesn't believe in dynastic politics will be embarrassed after reading the list. They must understand that the BJP truly believes in dynastic politics," he added.

The BJP has fielded relatives of influential leaders in some segments including Sreejaya Chavan, daughter of former CM and Congress turncoat Ashok Chavan who joined the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Sreejaya will make her electoral debut from the home turf Bhokar segment, represented by the senior Chavan, in Nanded district.

The BJP has also renominated Nitesh Rane, son of former Union minister and Konkan strongman Narayan Rane, from the Kankavli seat in Sindhudurg district, and Santosh Danve, sitting MLA from Bhokardan constituency in Jalna. Danve is the son of former Union minister Raosaheb Danve.

The differences among MVA allies over certain seats escalated into a war of words between state Congress chief Nana Patole and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, prompting Uddhav Thackeray to appeal to parties not to stretch matters to a breaking point.

The process to file nominations for the November 20 assembly elections will start on October 22.