LS polls: MVA's seat-sharing formula likely to be finalised in Mumbai meeting, says Patole

Nandurbar: The seat-sharing formula of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls is likely to be finalised in the meeting of its leaders in Mumbai on Wednesday, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said.

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats.

The MVA constituents – Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) headed by Uddhav Thackeray and the NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar led by Sharad Pawar – have been holding hectic parleys since several days to reach a consensus on seat-sharing.

Prakash Ambedkar of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) has also been invited for the seat-sharing talks.

To a query on the MVA leaders’ meeting in the state capital, Patole said, ”There is a meeting of MVA in Mumbai where Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, Balasaheb Thorat (Congress) and VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar will hold discussions. It is expected that the seat-sharing may get finalised today.”

To a query on the ruling ‘Mahayuti’ not coming up with its seat-sharing formula, Patole said look at the condition of NCP head Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, claiming that they have to demand even 11 seats. ”They are in a bad state after joining hands with the BJP due to compulsions,” he further claimed.

On Union minister Amit Shah targeting the Congress over dynastic politics, Patole said he wonders how can the BJP leader point the finger at the Gandhi family when his son is a senior office-bearer of a cricket body.

”Rahul Gandhi’s family members had served the country as prime ministers. He does not sit at home, but he goes to the people to understand their issues. What have they (BJP) done?” the Congress leader asked.

People have to understood that only the Gandhi family can take the country forward and it is not the task of inexperienced persons. They should stop criticising the Gandhi family, he said.

For the Congress, issues of the public are important, Patole said. ”Today, the poor, farmers and youth are suffering and the Congress is concerned about bringing them into the mainstream. We have nothing to do with what Amit Shah, (Prime Minister) Modiji or the BJP are saying. People have now understood their lies,” he said.

He claimed the BJP was strengthening a ”corrupt system”, but will have to reply about it to the public.