Lok Sabha elections: A day after finalising a pact with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday dialed Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and discussed the seat-sharing formula for the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra.
As per the reports, discussion was held with both these leaders on resolving the issue of seat-sharing at the earliest.
Seat-sharing in Maharashtra
Preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are underway as all parties gear up for the upcoming polls. The Congress has also intensified its efforts to negotiate seat-sharing agreements with its allies within the I.N.D.I.A. bloc. Additionally, efforts to resolve seat-sharing disputes within the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition have been expedited by the Congress, with a high-level meeting scheduled to address these issues. The MVA alliance consists of Congress, NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Prakash Ambedkar's Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi.
A meeting of the MVA is scheduled for February 27, raising hopes that the seat-sharing dispute will be resolved entirely by February 28. Prakash Ambedkar stated that the Congress party is prepared to accept all conditions. State Congress President Nana Patole mentioned that according to their survey, the Mahavikas Aghadi is in a strong position in Maharashtra. Earlier, A high-level meeting was held between Congress and the parties of the MVA coalition in Maharashtra, during which all 48 Lok Sabha seats were reviewed.
Congress and SP alliance
I.N.D.I.A bloc partners Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress on Wednesday finalised the seat-sharing in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, to be held in April-May this year.
The Samajwadi Party along with other alliance partners will contest on 63 seats while Congress has been alloted 17.
Speaking on seat-sharing decision, Congress Uttar Pradesh in-charge Avinash Pande said, "I am delighted to tell you that it has been decided that in Uttar Pradesh the INC will contest on 17 seats and the remaining 63 seats will have candidates of INDIA Alliance - from SP and other parties."
According to reports, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra played a key role during the seat-sharing talks between Samajwadi Party and Congress. Sources said that it was Priyanka who initiated talks with Akhilesh Yadav while keeping Rahul Gandhi in the loop.
The Congress party was initially demanding Moradabad seat apart from others it wanted to contest on, however, it didn't press for too long on its demand in order to keep the unity of the alliance.
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Also Read: Lok Sabha Elections: Congress to contest 17 seats, Akhilesh Yadav's SP, others 63 in UP
