Stalemate in MVA over 25 to 30 assembly seats; Cong high command to decide on it: Patole

Mumbai: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Friday said there is a stalemate in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) over 25 to 30 assembly seats, and the party's state unit will abide by any decision its high command takes on it.

Talking to reporters here, he said the MVA's seat-sharing talks have concluded on Thursday night.

"There are about 48 seats in the Shiv Sena (UBT) list and we (Congress) have given up our claim on 18 of them. There are 25 to 30 seats where there is a dispute. We have informed our party high command about it, and we will abide by whatever decision our leadership takes on this," Patole said.

"Will (Sena-UBT leader) Sanjay Raut and (NCP-SP's Maharashtra chief) Jayant Patil take any final decision without consulting Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar respectively?" he asked.

Responding to the speculation in a section of the media that the Sena (UBT) will not attend MVA's further meetings over seat-sharing if Patole remains present, he said this speculation was "planted".

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut expressed disappointment over the delay in the seat-sharing talks among the MVA partners, and claimed that Maharashtra Congress leaders are "not capable of making decisions".

He also said that the MVA partners – Congress, Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) – have arrived at a consensus on 200 of the 288 assembly seats.

Assembly elections in Maharashtra will be held on November 20, and the counting of votes will take place on November 23.