'Not participating in discussions': NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on MVA seat-sharing meetings

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) president on Friday said that he is not participating in the Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) seat-sharing discussions for the upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra.

The veteran politician indicated that people in Maharashtra are seeking change and that the present situation is favourable for MVA. Assembly elections in Maharashtra are slated to take place this year, and the Election Commission of India is yet to announce the schedule. 

"I am not participating in the seat-sharing discussions, so it will not be right for me to say anything on that subject," Pawar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. 

NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut along with other leaders are participating in the seat-sharing meetings.

Pawar also clarified that there are no differences of opinion within the alliance this time. "During the Lok Sabha elections, there was no difference of opinion or conflict within the Maha Vikas Aghadi, it happened only in one place, Sangli. Apart from this, no such incident happened in any district or taluka," he said. 

Meanwhile, the MVA will finalise and declare its seat-sharing deal on Dussehra (October 12). Of the total 288 seats, the Congress is looking to contest 110-115 seats whereas the Shiv Sena (UBT) is eyeing 90-95 seats.

NCP (SP), on the other hand, is aiming to contest 80-85 seats for the upcoming assembly elections, The Indian Express reported citing sources. MVA leaders are holding meetings on a daily basis for over a week to finalise the seat-sharing arrangement between the NCP (SP), Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress. 

NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad said that the MVA has arrived at a consensus on many contentious seats including those from Vidarbha. Maharashtra Pradesh Congress chief said that the MVA's aim is to announce at least 175-200 seats on Dussehra. 

Previously, senior Congress leader and former CM Prithviraj Chavan said that the next Chief Minister of the state would be from the Congress. "The Congress won the maximum seats in the recent Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, and it will repeat its performance in the Assembly polls. The next chief minister of Maharashtra will be from the Congress party."