Mumbai (Maharashtra): Overlapping claims on several seats have marked negotiations between the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents in Maharashtra, specially Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) with the parties scrambling to finalise the remaining few seats even as the nomination process is set to end tomorrow for the assembly polls.
It's not been an easy ride for MVA partners who are seeking to replicate their success in Lok Sabha polls when they won 30 of 48 seats.
The three parties - Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) - had earlier decided to contest 85 seats each and had said negotiations were being held for the remaining seats in the 288-member assembly. A Congress leader later revised this figure to 90 seats but this was refuted by some leaders within the opposition alliance.
Congress, which has been keen to fight the largest number of seats, has already declared candidates on 99 seats. Shiv Sena (UBT) has announced candidates on 85 seats whereas NCP (SP) on 82.
In signs of mounting trouble, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut cautioned Congress against fielding candidate from Solapur (South), saying it could lead to similar action from other constituents and create problems in MVA.
He earlier also emphasised need of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' in the MVA alliance in apparent reference to differences in seat-sharing.
There also have been differences between MVA constituents over the need to project a Chief Ministerial face with Shiv Sena (UBT) strongly favouring it but Congress and NCP(SP) led by Sharad Pawar not in favour of any such move.
October 29 is the last date of filing nominations for the assembly polls to be held on November 20.
Raut said at a press conference on Monday that there will be a discussion on a few seats till the end.
"Three big parties are contesting elections and till the end, a discussion will be there on two or three seats whether it is in Maha Vikas Aghadi or Mahayuti, he said.
There is ambiguity about MVA constituents agreeing to demands of Samajwadi Party and scope of their accommodating it in the alliance along with some other INDIA bloc parties. .
Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Abu Asim Azmi had said earlier they do not want the secular votes to be divided in the state and they are still awaiting response from Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) over sear-sharing.
"Samajwadi Party does not want the secular votes to be divided in Maharashtra. SP is still waiting for the response of Maha Vikas Aghadi," Azmi had said in a post on X.
There have been differences between Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress over seat distribution in Mumbai and Vidarbha.
Other seats where MVA constituents have had differences include Colaba, Malabar Hill, Versova and Byculla, Miraj and Paranda.
Sources said if differences are not settled, there could be rebel candidates against nominees fielded by MVA constituents.
Congress has had its share of internal troubles. The party change its candidates in the Andheri (West), where it had fielded Sachin Sawant and Aurangabad East, where it had fielded Madhukar Deshmukh.
The ruling Mahayuti alliance seems to be managing internal pressures well with BJP learnt to have given some candidates to Shiv Sena and NCP to contest the polls on their symbols.
The elections are crucial for both Mahayuti and MVA as the Shiv Sena and NCP have seen splits.
