MVA yet to arrive at consensus on 28 assembly seats, Samajwadi Party demands 12 seats: Sources

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) bloc in Maharashtra has formed a consensus on seat-sharing on 260 out of 288 assembly seats. Talks are on between the Congress, Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party, and Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena to resolve the dispute over 28 seats, India Today reported citing sources.

Most of the unresolved seats belong to the Vidarbha region and three such seats are in Mumbai. "There are three major disputed seats in Mumbai, which include Versova, Byculla and Dharavi. The Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) have claimed Versova, Byculla and Ghatkopar (West)," according to one of the sources. 

They added that the Congress would contest 15 seats, the Shiv Sena (UBT) on17 seats and the NCP (SP) on three seats including Anushakti Nagar and Ghatkopar (East) assembly constituencies.

"A list of nearly 25 disputed seats will be sent to the high command of each constituent of the MVA. Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar and Mallikarjun Kharge will take a final call on these seats", Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said.

This, however, is not the only issue in MVA's seat-sharing talks for Maharashtra assembly polls. Samajwadi Party state president and MLA Abu Azmi has demanded 12 seats to contest on including Byculla, Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, Versova and Anushakti Nagar.

Azmi said that the Samajwadi Party does not want to split the INDIA bloc as it happened in Haryana. "As we had contested together, we had stopped the BJP from winning 400 seats to 240 seats in the Lok Sabha. We have to remain united to defeat the BJP in the state," he said. 

Abu Azmi added they will speak to party president and Kannauj MP Akhilesh Yadav, who will be in Malegaon and Dhule assembly constituencies on Friday, to discuss the seat-sharing matter with the party cadre. 

Meanwhile, senior MVA leaders held a meeting over the seat-sharing formula for 260 assembly seats in the state. As per reports, the Congress will contest 110-115 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) 83-86 and NCP (SP) 72-75. 

Congress party's first list is expected to be released on Sunday, as per Opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar. Screening has been completed on 84 seats so far and the party will hold a central election commitee (CEC) to decide the candidates on Sunday.

Wadettiwar added that the names of the candidates will be announced on the same day.  The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprises Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). Maharashtra will vote in a single phase on November 20 and the results will be declared on November 23.