MVA seat-sharing pact: Sharad Pawar steps in, Congress, Sena (UBT) agree on 85 seats each; silent on 15 disputed seats

MUMBAI: With Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) still grappling over seat-sharing less than a week before the deadline for filing nominations for assembly polls-while all 3 Mahayuti partners have released their first lists-MVA's architect Sharad Pawar stepped in to draft an acceptable agreement to save the front from appearing to be falling apart. An understanding was reached Wednesday evening over 255 seats-85 for Congress, NCP (SP) and Sena (UBT) each - while 18 will be left for smaller allies.

Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut initially said consensus had been reached on 270 seats. Later he said, "I had said 270 seats, but it was 255." There is still no decision on 15 disputed seats - 3 in Mumbai and 12 in Vidarbha, but they will be distributed among the MVA partners, sources said.

Amid the tussle, Sena (UBT) released its first list of 65 candidates, including for two of the 15 disputed seats - Bandra East and Ramtek. It declared nominees for 13 seats in Mumbai, including Aaditya Thackeray from Worli and Aaditya's cousin Varun Sardesai from Bandra East. It has fielded Kedar Dighe, nephew of late Sena leader Anand Dighe, from Kopri-Pachpakhadi against CM Shinde who speaks of Anand Dighe as his mentor (see Other Book).

A Congress politician said the formula is seen as a setback for their party because on Tuesday it had been informally agreed that Congress would contest 105 seats, NCP (SP) 84 and Sena (UBT) 95.

‘No end in sight for talks, Cong decides to go some steps back’
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said that following Sharad Pawar’s intervention, the process of drafting MVA seat-sharing formula was expedited as most candidates were in favour of filing nomination papers on Thursday as it is being seen as an auspicious day.

An understanding was reached Wednesday evening over 255 seats following a meeting of state Congress chief Nana Patole, UBT Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut, NCP (SP)’s Jayant Patil and Congress legislature party leader Balasaheb Thorat with Sharad Pawar,
A senior Congress politician said, “Since there was no end in sight to the negotiations, Congress decided to go some steps back and agreed on 85 seats. We are sure that we will improve on our Lok Sabha polls performance, and in addition, we expect to secure additional seats from the remainig 15."

While talks over seat allocation have been going on for a month, they were last week marked by a sharp exchange of words between Patole and Raut, and Congress leaders felt that in view of the stand taken by Raut, it was difficult to arrive at a consensus. As it appeared that no agreement could be reached, state Congress leaders knocked at the doors of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, who sum moned state Congress leaders to New Delhi for discussions.

Kharge then deployed Balasaheb Thorat to call on both Sharad Pawar and UBT Sena president Uddhav Thackeray to resolve the dispute. Accordingly, Thorat had a brief meeting with both Sharad Pawar and Thackeray, but even then the dispute was not resolved, after which Congress leaders felt that it was time to exit from the MVA and contest the assembly elections separately.
The NCP (SP) leadership took note of these political developments and felt that if the MVA does not contest the elections jointly, the Mahayuti is sure to retain power in the state.

Pawar then spoke to Raut, Thorat and Thackeray and asked them to expedite matters and decide the seat-sharing formula on “as is where is” basis (meaning they should go ahead with what has been decided already) instead of discussing it on a seat-to-seat basis until the final seat is decided.