Mumbai: With the Maharashtra Assembly elections scheduled for November 20, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance has finalized its seat-sharing arrangement among Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Shiv Sena (UBT) after extensive negotiations.
Under the agreement, Congress is likely to contest 105 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) will contest 95 seats, and NCP will compete in 84 of the 288 assembly seats. The remaining seats will be allocated to smaller alliance members, including the Samajwadi Party (SP) and other regional partners, after final adjustments.
The deal, concluded after prolonged discussions, reflects strategic priorities within the alliance. MVA leaders, including Congress’s Nana Patole and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut, have expressed confidence in the coalition’s strength. Patole stated, “Our objective remains clear: to safeguard Maharashtra’s secular fabric,” reinforcing Congress’s commitment to combat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government’s influence in the state.
The finalized seat-sharing formula came after deliberations led by senior MVA leaders, with NCP chief Sharad Pawar reportedly playing a pivotal role in mediating between Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) to resolve conflicting claims, especially in key constituencies. Raut confirmed, “We will field strong candidates across all regions, particularly in areas where each party has an established voter base, to maximize our collective impact”.
As candidates file their nominations, the alliance’s cohesion will be tested, particularly in regions like Vidarbha and Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), where each party has traditionally held influence.
However a final announcement from the MVA is awaited which most likely will give a clear picture on the seat sharing.
