MUMBAI: The Nationalist Congress Party has informed the Congress of its plan to contest in 50 per cent seats of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.“The talks to decide seat-sharing formula took place on Friday night, wherein we proposed to contest 50 per cent seats in the state. However, the Congress didn’t clarify its stand. We are now waiting for its proposal,” NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said.
In 2014, the NCP had contested on 22 seats while the Congress fought on the remaining 26 seats. While NCP won four seats, the Congress managed only two. In this backdrop, the Congress maintains it has to accommodate other parties with whom talks are on and, hence, needs time.
While NCP state president Jayant Patil said the seat-sharing is likely to be finalised on the criteria of winning potential of candidates and the party, his Congress counterpart Ashok Chavan said the talks are likely to be concluded by October end.
According to Malik, NCP president Sharad Pawar had held talks with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi regarding seat sharing in Maharashtra. Malik also reiterated the NCP’s stand to contest 200 out of 230 seats in Madhya Pradesh. “However, that is a state-specific decision, and it won’t have bearing on the alliance in Maharashtra.”