Maharashtra Assembly polls: MVA to meet on August 7 to discuss seat-sharing, other issues

Maha Vikas Aghadi to discuss seat sharing for Maharashtra Assembly elections in upcoming meeting, senior leader confirms.

“The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra will hold a meeting on August 7 to discuss seat sharing and other aspects related to the upcoming State Assembly elections,” a senior leader has said.

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Balasaheb Thorat told reporters on July 31 (evening), after meeting Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, that the criteria for seat sharing among the allies will be discussed during the meeting. "Swapping of seats is also possible as winning candidates will be fielded," he said.

Mr. Thorat also said he discussed planning of election rallies with Mr. Thackeray. The MVA comprises the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) [NCP(SP)] and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). The Assembly elections in Maharashtra are likely to be held in October this year.

Meanwhile, All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Maharashtra, Ramesh Chennithala, will be on a two-day visit to Mumbai from August 3 to meet the party's State leaders ahead of the MVA meeting.

The Congress has set up a committee of State leaders for negotiations with the MVA and a meeting of the committee with Chennithala will take place on August 4.

In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the MVA won 30 out of the 48 Parliamentary seats in the State. The lone independent MP Vishal Patil who is a Congress rebel, became an associate member of the party, taking the number of Opposition MPs in the State to 31.