NEW DELHI: As the stalemate over seat-sharing of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies for the Maharashtra polls continues, the Congress postponed its crucial Central Election Committee (CEC) for Monday.
Earlier, the Congress called a two-day meeting of its CEC, chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday to finalize candidates for Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
Sources said the party rescheduled the CEC meeting for Monday evening as it failed to reach a consensus in the seat-sharing talks in poll-bound Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
Amid the impasse, Shiv Sena UBT leader Uddhav Thackeray called a meeting of party leaders on Sunday. “Some decisions have to be taken and for that, an urgent meeting of all leaders has been called”, said Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut.
Sources said the MVA is also under pressure as the BJP announced its first list of candidates for the Assembly elections on Sunday. While Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is set to contest from Nagpur South West, state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule has been fielded from Kamthi.
Though the MVA claims to have reached a consensus for 260 Assembly seats, leaders of the alliance — AICC state in-charge Ramesh Chennithala, Uddhav Thackeray, and NCP (SP)’s Sharad Pawar — held a meeting in Mumbai on Saturday evening.
However, Chennithala downplayed the visit, saying he met Thackeray to inquire about his health. Thackeray on Friday cautioned that haggling among allies, particularly the Congress, must not be allowed to reach a breaking point, while Raut claimed that state Congress leaders were incapable of making decisions on the distribution of assembly constituencies.
Tough task
Ramesh Chennithala, Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar held a meeting in Mumbai on Saturday evening. However, Chennithala downplayed the visit, saying he met Thackeray to inquire about his health.